Favorite 261 of 356 albums with comments

Here's my list and comments of my favorite 344 albums, in order.

The dates may say 2001 which means the album was 

released in 2001 but 1983 means that’s when the music was made. 

Several of these albums are compilations of various records a band did

or even compilations by several different groups.  If there’s multiple

years it means the CD I am reviewing consists of music made from those

years like 1977 to 1979 for instance and released on several different records

in those years.

The other numbers are from Rolling Stone’s top 500 list.  But those are only

the famous records on this list like Neil Young and CSN&Y.  Most of these

are not famous.  So the other numbers are, as I recall, my personal ranking

of the record aside from this list.  I forget.  I did this list about 1995 and I

updated it a few times over the years including several times in 2013 and 2014

working to reorder them which is tricky cuz what sounded one way in 1983 can

sound differently in 2014.  Your ears change while the music remains exactly

the same.  I used to think This Is Boston, Not L.A. was incredible but relistened

to it last year and it dropped.  Great stuff but not as consistently high quality

as I’d remembered.  Others like Van Morrison – Moondance I realized was

incredible and needed to be ranked much higher as every single song is

breathtakingly wonderful.

When I have a year listed with a ? it’s just that I’m not sure the exact year it

was released but I’m pretty sure I’m only off by 1 or 2 years, if at all.  Just trying

to be accurate.

A number of these albums seem perfect to me, there’s zero weak songs on it.

Don’t be confused, just cuz I say often on this list, ‘one of those rare perfect albums’

on this list doesn’t mean it’s not rare.  It just means I found these over a

lifetime of listening to great music from about 1965 to, so far, 2014, and, to me,

those are PERFECT albums, not one weak song. 

P for perfect.

It’s been buggin’ me when I see amazing lps listed at 24 or something so I’ve not given

two numbers, their ranking and, forgetting math, what it would be if there were ties.

I snuck in an off tape and even 7” much less 12” here and there cuz, well, I can.

1/1 Last White Christmas vol II w/ CCM, IRI! & Traumatic - Italy

P    1983 -  1 1 1983-2003  CCM live is, well, unparalleled in music.

     This is the most intense hardcore punk rock (HC) available.  Forget gruff vocals

     and heavy sound that's all metal tinged.  This is the finest hc 24 or so

     minutes live ever.  As a bonus IRI! has the rare ability, maybe only band

     on earth, to fluidly blend keyboard and synth to real hc.  There's an

     explosion/cocophany song that just blows your mind.  This is

     really a perfect 3 band split release with Traumatic being an

     excellent 60's hc band from 1983.  Italian hc rules, it's totally

     unique in hc.   The rare perfect lp.  (originally released as a 60

     minute tape, reissued in 2002 as a 76 minute cd).  This is on my label,

     Bad Compilation Tapes/Borderless Countries Tapes.  No brag, just fact.

     To my ears, listening to thousands of high quality records for about 4 and

     half decades, this is the finest record I have ever heard.

2/1 Bad Brains - attitude - NY/DC 1982 - - 2 1 1982-2003  When yer

P    listening to it you realize it's really the finest punk rock lp ever made.

    Originally released on tape by ROIR.  A perfect blend of hc & reggae, the finest

    of each really.  Best vocalist, superior drums & git.  The rare perfect

    lp.  Another amazing debut lp.  Virtually no time between songs,

    least the hc ones.  Just the way I like it.  Acknowledged by many punx

    as the greatest punk album of all time.

3/1 Tom Waits - The Heart of Saturday Night - National City/L.A. 1974

P    - 339 3 1 1974-2003  His 70's releases rule and this is the best

    of them.  His 80’s material also rules.  Smokey piano lounge music

    with perfect raspy vocals and vivid story telling.  There's nothing else

    like this anywhere.  The rare perfect lp.  Enter his world.  Musically,

    it’s satisfying like a complete album of story that fits hand in hand, song

    in song.  I’ve listened to this record many times over the decades and

    it never gets stale, not even once.

4/1 Steel Pulse - Reggae Fever  - UK 1982? - - 4 2 1982-2003  Their finest

P    lp.  The best reggae lp ever.  Not that sleepy stuff.  Not overly

    repetitive.  Lively and beautiful.  The rare perfect lp.  They’ve done

    many albums over the years and this is their perfect record.  There’s

    numerous good songs on several other albums but this album is perfect,

    song for song.  Punk often had the occasional reggae song as a perfect

    mix on a mix tape and 1 or 2 songs from this album found their way onto

    many of those early 80’s punk mix tapes.

5/1 The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland - Seattle/UK/U.S.

P     (2lp) 1968 - 54  6  3  1968-2003  The finest rock lp ever and it's a

     double.  You go places on this record.  Welcome to Jimi's world.

     The rare perfect lp.  It’s still startling.  It can’t get old.  It’s only,

     ‘welcome back to this deep and beautiful record.’  Playing guitar

     like no one has been able to before or since and magically paired with

     a bass and drums that support him well.  And his voice, which he

     disliked, is so unique and wonderful and pure Jimi.  A musical gift for

     the ages.

6/1 Phoebe Snow – Phoebe Snow 1974 Another incredible debut and perfect

P     album.  She had an incredible story, essentially giving up her career for her

     severely handicapped daughter.  In the end, this album’s every song is perfection. 

     She has a magic voice and no record after this was able to capture, to the full,

     what she did on this record.  Soft, jazzy, gusto but from emotion.  A completely

     unique voice.  Every song is incredible.

7/1 Led Zepplin - Led Zepplin - UK 1969 - 29 75 1 another amazing

P     debut lp.  In high school at the end of the 60's this lp was in every

     home with a teenager and it still is a perfect lp.  What is this doing

     at number 80?  What was I thinking?  A PERFECT ALBUM that

     stands the test of time perfectly.  Just as powerful today as it was

     in 1969.  This should be in the top 5. I have this as number 30?  I’m

     nuts.  It should be 5^th.  I gotta speak to the writer of this list.  Uh, me.

     Ok, I suitably moved it up.  Whew.

8/1 Minor Threat - discography - DC 1985? 1981-1983? - 7 2 1983-2003

P     Not a true lp but a comp of everything they ever released.  The

     best U.S. punk band ever.  Ok if you want to argue that it’s actually

     Bad Brains or first four years Black Flag we don’t have to get into a

     debate but, let’s face it, Minor Threat, virtually every song rules and

     it makes for one perfect album.  Lyrics, classic hardcore punk rock,

     and musically just a band that fit amazingly together.  Nothing any

     of the band members ever did after this band who lasted about 1980

     to 1984 or so was ever on this level of excellence.  A pure leader in

     the world of HC especially given they had/have still! their own

     excellent label with maybe much of the releases quite high quality.

9/1 Black Flag - First Four Years - L.A. 1983? 1978-1981? - 8 3  Not a true

     lp but a comp of the first four years releases.  The beating heart of

     punk rock man.  Classic.  Their first release was the 7” “Nervous

     Breakdown.”  I bought it new about 1980.  I’ve bought about 3,000

     records, virtually all of them used, maybe 5 new.  That 3 song 7” is

     one of the greatest punk 7”s of all time, forceful, punch, Keith Morris

     on vocals, their best singer of 4, fast and, for it’s time, hard to believe

     it existed.  Hardcore punk rock brought to life on a single.  The 12”

     “Jealous Again” also rules.  I picked this compilation of their material

     because their first 4 years of records were a contribution to the state of

     musical punk rock art.  And, as with all great art, has stood the test of

     time.  Greg Ginn also did SST records who released many of the great

     records of punk.  Some clunkers but several classics.

10/1 The Clash - London Calling - UK (2lp) 1980 - 8 71 10 Possibly the

P     single best lp and incredible that they had two lps worth of material

     for us.  Thank you Clash.  A masterwork.  I should rate this like #10.

     I had it at 78 but that’s just bogus.  Confidence to release a 2xlp with,

     as it turned out, not one weak song.  It came out in 1980 in the U.S.

     and Rolling Stone called it the best record of the 80’s.  Find a flaw on

     this record, I dare you.  Strummer and Jones made a song writing match

     like Lennon and McCartney, that magical mix of merged art that only a

     pairing could make.  Like bass and treble meeting, like heart and soul.

     Note that none of the 4 musicians was ever able to make as great music

     as a solo artist.

11/1 Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime - San Pedro 1984

P     411 - 54 14  An opus.  Four vinyl sides of the band at it's most

     mature before d. boon's tragic death in late 1985.  I drove to L.A.

     by myself cuz it was a Wednesday night and no one I knew from San Diego

     wanted to drive 2 ½ hours each way to see them and the Meat Puppets

     play on a boat in San Pedro bay with about 50 happy listeners.  After

     the show I overheard one of the Minutemen saying to someone, “Yea,

     our next album is coming out and it’s a double album.”  To the answer

     of, of course, “No way.”  But it is one of the finest double albums and,

     possibly the greatest double punk album of all time.  Them at their

     tightest.

12/1 The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced? -

P     Seattle/UK/U.S.  1967 - 15 11 5 1969-1975  Jimi was the master guitarist and

     the world lost a guitar genius in 1970.   Plus he could write songs and had

     that perfect voice.  Still potent today.  The rare perfect lp.  Another

     amazing debut lp.  It’s crazy how great this record is.  Talk about standing

     the test of time.  Listen to it now.  Awesome.  It’s painful to list records

     in order of preference when many or all of these top 15 could be listed as

     the best or in the top five.  It’s math crowding out what should be tie listings

     which maybe I should do!

13/1 Tom Waits - Small Change - National City/L.A. 1976 - - 12 3

P     1976-2003  It's terrible to choose between this and Heart of Saturday

     Night.  I equally love both, much like a parent equally loves both their

     children.  But these records, 20 now, are Tom (and his wife Kathleen’s)

     records, I know, like children.  You can listen to this record and, again, he takes

     us places, into his world, real or imagined.  Probably to do with downtown L.A.

     but, really, a re-creation of an inner space populated by music that only he hears

     and, thankfully, is able to put on vinyl for us.  Another perfect lp.

14/1 The Jam - In the City - UK 1977 - - 51 9  Another amazing debut lp.

P     Nobody's like the Jam.  And the earlier the better for these boys.

     Crisp, strong song writing, great voice.  Another incredible trio.

     Another record with no weak song.  None.  No way this was 57.

     I should have this in the top 10.  When I hear this and their second

     Album, This is the Modern World, I feel like I’m listening to a greatest

     hits album.  If they made more than just these 2 albums of this type

     of music we would be more blessed.  But Weller, their main songwriter,

     had this ‘Motown’ thing that just kept slowly crushing the spunk outta

     the Jam till they were virtually unrecognizable and he had to go on to

     the more fitting Style Council who have no good songs (to these ears

     that love the Jam) and even his solo career after that which is worthless.

     God bless the guy, I’m just evaluating where his yoot musical spirit went

     and it died with the Jam.  I saw From the Jam, the other 2 Jam members

     with 2 other guys helpin’ out, live, and they only did the non later songs

     and it was fantastic, like in 2002 or something when the band broke up in

     like 1983!

15/1 Gang of Four - Entertainment! - UK 1979 - 490 42 10 They never

P    sounded this good again.  Their artistic peak, their first lp.  A rare

    perfect lp.  Double contrary vocals and killer feedback on Anthrax.

    It's an odd mix of dance music with that ridiculous drum sound but

    with hard git which makes the whole thing swing.  One of the best

    first lps ever.  Really should be in the top 10.  Perfection.  As

    great as it seems every time I hear it time does not diminish it.  A smidgen,

    not even a smidgen.

16/1 Ray Charles 45 Hits His songs from when he was 19 to 22, 1949 to 1952.

     2xcd. There’s tons of horns on about a third of the songs.  Maybe his

     best 2 songs are on here, Kissa Me Baby, very lively, and I’m Goin’

     Down to the River, about love lost.  The calls and refrains, the pre-

     famous Ray, it works better than all his other albums.  Memorable. 

     This is his material (42 of the songs) that he did prior to signing on

     Atlantic records.  It’s virtually unknown Ray Charles and the lively

     horns really bring his songs to life.  For years now it’s been available

     on amazon for a dollar (plus $4 shipping).  Do get it.  You will not

     be disappointed.  Really.  It’s a cannot lose investment.  Trust me.

     Funny thing is, though he’s so young I can’t tell a bit that he’s young here.

     This would be a perfect release except they include about 5 live later year

     songs for some mysterious reason and they’re just good not incredible.

     If you look on amazon there’s dozens of releases that have some or even

     most of these songs as they are on old labels.  In the end, there’s apparently

     about 39 songs from his pre-Atlantic period when they titied him up a little

     and even gave him some white back up singers.

17/1 The Vibrators - Pure Mania - UK 1979? - - 28 1  A rare perfect lp,

P     well, maybe 1 or 2 songs a touch less than perfect.  Still, awesome

     late 70's punk rock from England.  Another amazing debut lp.  It’s the

     UK version of late 70’s punk, tight, ready for UK radio air play (punk wasn’t

     playing on U.S. radio except limited college radio stations) which always

     had a very wide musical range (the opposite of the tight U.S. one).

18/1 Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman - U.S. 1970 - 206 32 1  A rare

P     perfect lp.  Every song is spot on.  He never did anything like this

     again, only a few songs as great on the next lp.  Lyrically,

     musically, tone, voice, this lp has it all.  It stands the test

     of time outstandingly.  Another amazing debut lp.  Best father and

     son song in rock.  I should rate this in the top 10.  I keep running out

     of room with different albums I love.

19/1 The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold As Love - Seattle/UK/U.S.

P     (2lp) 1968 - 82 16 5 1969-1975  Really, his 3 classic releases are

     superior to any other releases by any other rock 'n roll bands,

     maybe with the exception of the Beatles.  There's still strength in

     this music, and mysterious beauty.   The rare perfect lp.

20/1 Santana - Santana - Tijuana/S.F. 1969 - 150 23 1 A rare perfect lp.  No

P    one has since merged rock and Mexican music so perfectly as they

    have.  Malo, with Carlos’ brother, did for one album only.  Santana’s

    live set at Woodstock comes right off this record.  Another amazing debut lp.

    Carlos Santana is one of those guitarists like Jimi, Stevie Ray Vaughn and just a

    few others that, as soon as you hear their guitar, you know it’s them.

21/1 The Specials - The Specials - UK 1980 - - 50 5 Another amazing

P     debut lp.  A rare perfect lp.  Modern U.K. ska like only them and

     English Beat could do.  Been lots of non Jamacian ska bands since

     then, nobody's come close.  Not even.  Including them.  Even the

     Specials couldn’t repeat this perfection.  Stunning album.  Modern

     ska’s finest record ever.  Every single song rules.

22/1 The Bobs - The Bobs - L.A. 1983 - - 18 8  Accapella harmony vocal

P     ingeniously smarty pants lyrics.  They always have a story to

     tell and each song here is perfection.  The rare perfect lp.

     Another amazing debut lp.  Few folks are familiar with them.  I

     list 2 or 3 of their albums on this list.  I cannot express enough how

     happy you will be if you get some of these records.  Heck, just go to

     You Tube (as with any of these records) and yer likely to be able to,

     at the very least, be able to hear a live version of this or that song.

     These guys are great live and we’ve seen them maybe 8 times in

     The 80’s and 90’s.  But their albums totally rule.  Try ‘em.  Mickey

     likes ‘em.  Trust me.

23/1 The Roches - The Roches - New Jersey 1979 - - 47 3  Another

P    amazing debut lp.  Three perfect female harmonizing voices with

    memorable lyrics about their lives and other stories, often humerous.

    This really should be up another 30 or so on this list.  In fact, when

    listening to it, it sounds more like a top 10 album.  Three sisters

    who have little stories for songs and possibly the finest female

    harmonizing ever.

24/1 The Roches - Nurds - New Jersey 1980 - - 62 4  Beauty.  Soaring

P     female harmonies.  Funny lyics.  Another must hear album.  Beauty.

     Simple folk but way more than that label of musical style due to their

     humorous and/or touching song stories and the unbelievable harmonies.

     I’ve erred here.  This should rank higher and be like in the 3 catagory,

     even 2.

25/1 Led Zepplin - Led Zepplin II - UK 1970? - 75 99 3 Really, as great as

P     the first lp.  Together they have half of everything great the band

     ever did.  Although, it’s easy to say that virtually, the entirety of

     their album releases is amazing.  Re-interpreters of black American

     music in a rock 'n roll passion that rightfully swept the rock 'n roll world. 

     Nothing like what they made ever existed before.  I saw them live

     in 1971, my first rock concert, my first date, and an evening I'll never

     forget.  I should put this in the top 15.  Really.  It don’t deserve to be 104.

26/1 The Undertones - The Undertones - Ireland 1979 - - 15 3  The finest

P     power pop of all time.  Poppy, guitar strong love songs from war

    torn Northern Ireland.  A perfect debut lp.  Another rare perfect lp.  

    Fergal Sharkey has a funny voice.  Like Jad Fair of Half Japanese and

    David Thomas of Pere Ubu, you either get on board with these voices

    or, I imagine, you don’t.  The Undertones did 2 albums 1 and 2 decades

    after Fergal left and I just can’t listen to them.  Very nice but the vocalist

    is like a normal singer and it just don’t work for me.  These guys rule.

    This and their second album, Hypnotized, have such strong song writing

    and guitar work and action and passion that it’s a power pop world that

    no one has been able to achieve but them.  Girls and other innocent

    lyrical content, interestingly, while they lived during ‘the Troubles’ in

    Northern Ireland.  They played San Diego once about 1982 and I was

    at work late but I was able to send about 10 cousins who were visiting

    and they said, “It was like seeing the Beatles” the energy they could

    muster and generate!  Every single song here, perfection.  Decades

    later each song still rules!

27/1 Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth - Wales 1980 - - 24 3  No

P    band like this one from Wales on earth.  Ultra minimalist.  Almost all

    punx I know who know this lp love it.  It just makes you love it.

    They only did 2 7"s and this.  A true shame.  Another amazing

    debut (only) lp.  Very simple musically, soft female vocal with gentle

    guitar and drums.

28/1 Cockney Rejects – Greatest Hits Vol. 1 UK, what is this? Oi? Maybe.

P     All I know is, it’s totally sing-alongable.  Great driving music.  Refrains that

     stick in your head.  Way fun stuff.  When I get back to listening to this

     I just go back for more.  This is Oi!  And, the nerve to name their first

     two albums ‘Greatest Hits’ is, oddly, completely correct.  Every single song

     on here kills!  I hate having this at 42.  It feels like a top 10 record.  Very

     infectious when you hear it.  I’m singing about drinking and violence and

     soccer with full boisterousness even though none of those things are part of

     my life but the songs totally blow up.  One of my favorite records ever.

     Make it a point to hear some on You Tube or something.  Really.

29/1 Superchunk – ‘Girl You Want’ cover of the Devo song only available on the

     Comp ‘Freedom of Choice’ a fundraiser for, I think, Planned Parenthood.  Yes, I’m

     Listing just this song.  Not even the comp it’s on.  It’s the best song they ever did.

30/2 Hates -Contamination CD - Houston w/ 3 1979 7"s, Panacea 12"

P     1982, & New World Oi! 1992 - - 13 2  Not a true lp but a comp of

     their 5 best releases.  The great American hidden punk rock band,

     man.  Classic songs that sound brilliant 20 years later.  They did

     3 7”s in the late 70’s and the songs are slower than the rest they

     did after that but they’re still great.  I was able to arrange their

     only tour (10 gigs in the Southwest) and got to see them live in L.A.

     and in San Diego in 2002 and they did those slower songs faster like

     the rest of their songs!!  I was totally intoxicated while being totally

     non diluted with substances!  Ask any punk you know, old or young,

     and it’s going to be rare that you meet one who knows the Hates.

     Course, ask any punk from Houston and they’ll ALL know them cuz

     they’ve done shows there since the late 70’s!  Check ‘em out.

31/2 The Urinals - discography - L.A. 1987? 1979-1981? - 14 7  Not a

P     true lp but a comp of  their 7"s and live material.  Another amazing

     trio (like Hates & Minutemen).   Minimalist punk rock classics.

     Punk rock from UCLA.  Ack, Ack, Ack, Ack could be the best punk

     song ever.  Very long lasting band.  As the decades past they

     got tighter.  You really should buy this.  Really, I insist.

32/2 The Beatles - The Beatles (The White Album) - UK  (2lp) 1968

P     - 10 22 2  An lp that changed the culture, certainly my life and many

    others.  So much beauty.  No bad songs.  I’ve heard people compare

    this to The Clash Sandinista that was a 3xlp release that would have been

    excellent as a 2xlp.  That is not even the case here.  The most far out,

    experimental songs on here, there’s 2 or 3, are fantastic.  So, no.  This

    is probably an album that almost single handedly, moved the 60’s into

    another phase, musically and culturally. 

33/2 Crosby, Stills and Nash - Crosby, Stills and Nash - L.A.

P     1969 - 259 57 3 Maybe the best debut lp ever.  Pure pleasure.

     Stunning first lp.  Their harmonies were part of the era.  Everyone I

     knew then had this album.  After this and their 2nd lp, they never

     ever captured that same heavenly vocal/musical sound.  This is not 61.

     It really should be higher than 38 as well.  It brought a peaceful, angelic,

     sweet white soulful musical aura to the late 60’s.  All by itself.

34/2 Minutemen - My First Bells - San Pedro 1985 1980-1983 - 10 2  Not a

     true lp but a comp of their early releases including most of their

     finest material although, the following 4 lps they did were virtually

     as classic as this material.  No band like them on earth.  Funk punk.

     A clean minimalism with honesty and earnestness.   Still satisfies

     today.  I need to hear live sets of theirs just to get more of this.  Tragically,

     d. Boon was killed in a car accident in late 1985.  I’m delighted that I had

     a brief conversation with him once.  Classic good punx.  And Mike Watt

     clearly the ace of bassists in punk, maybe in rock.  Together, this trio made,

     literally about 1 minute long songs, and tons of them.  Get their dvd We

     Jam Econo.  They certainly toured maybe more than any band I’ve ever

     known of.

35/2 Minutemen  -  Buzz Howl Under the Influence of Heat - San Pedro

P     1983 - 45 4  Really, as perfect as their other 3 best lps.  The 4

     together are one long great lp. R.I.P. d Boon, a great loss to our

     musical world (car crash, 1985).  Live they ruled.  They had the

     power of a trio, that kinetic unity and song after song typically near

     one minute long.  I dream of being a Minutemen cover band that

     does 3 minute versions of their songs!

36/2 Minutemen - What Makes a Man Start Fires? - San Pedro 1983

P     - - 49 8  One of the 4 classic lps they did.  Ranked lower than above

     Minutemen lps only to make room for classic lps by other bands.

     If I can get it together I’ll simply list the four lps together with Double

     Nickels on the Dime as the finest one and Three Way Tie for Last as

     their least strongest and all the others tied for great quality releases

     between those.

37/2 Minutemen -  The Punch Line - San Pedro 1981 - - 20 3  Their first lp.

P    Gimme more.  Perfection.   Another amazing debut lp.  Brilliant

     hand painted lp cover done by d Boon, if I got that right.  Snappy,

     tight, musical, bit ‘o funk and all heart.

38/2 Half Japanese – Greatest Hits 2xCD covering about their time doing records

   from about 1977 to about 2001.  Stunning stuff.  It’s definitely off the

   beaten track, both with the guy’s almost childish vocals and the intense jazz

   rock with maybe half the songs on this hits release having sax which just makes

   the songs all that much richer.  Typically the drumming is just powerful and

   you can’t really tell if the musicians are actually playing the exact same song,

   they’re that unconventional.  But their hits are true hits.  When they’re off,

   it’s not that good and, believe me, this has only classic Half Japanese hits!

39/2 Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks - Where's the Money - S.F. 1971 - - 21 2

P    No band like them on earth.  Smarty pants lyrics/bluegrass/whimsical

    /understated rock though it's a bit of a stretch to actually call it rock.

    This is their best lp and it happens to be live.  I’m disappointed it’s at

    30.  I should figure out how to rank it higher.  Splendid live.  Laconic

    comes to mind.  Perfect girl backing vocals, violin and Dan’s story

    telling songs.

40/2 Santana - Abraxas - Tijuana/S.F. 1970 - 205 76 4 It was so amazing

P     that Santana still had so much musically to offer after their perfect

     first lp.  This is still their second best record ever.  It's even a bit

     more mature and substantial than the first lp though that first one,

     well, it's special.

41/2 Superchunk - Incidental Music 1991-95 North Carolina Four piece post punk/

P     alt rock band with 2 guitars which is what really makes it swing along with

     excellent song writing.  They have about 8 albums from about 1991 through

     2006 or so but this compilation of songs that didn’t make it to albums is

     actually their strongest.  I’ve tried to find other bands like them but they

     have their own sound.  A nice young woman on bass.  Saw them live in

     about 1991 and fell madly in love with her, for the duration of the show, she

     was just energetic and the band ruled.  The last 10 years this is my most

     played group.

42/2 The Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bullocks, Here's the Sex Pistols -

P    UK 1977 - 41 35 3  A rare perfect lp.  They released so little.  But if

    this was all I ever did as a band I'd be completely proud.  Stands

    the test of time magnificently.  Real punk rock baby.  Another

    amazing debut (only official) lp.  I still think that the solid drumming

    and solid guitar allowed the Sid Vicious bass and John Lydon vocals,

    both with oozing punk attitude, to musically flourish.

43/2 Superchunk - Cup of Sand singles comp 95-02 2xcd.  Comp of their cd singles

     and cd 5 song eps from 1995 through 2002.  Even a few real nice softer songs.

     But the hits just fly.  The greatest post punk/alt band of all time, least for me.

44/2 Red Rockers - Condition Red - Louisiana 1980? - - 36 3 The

P    forgotten, rarely known hidden gem of American punk.  Their

    only great lp.  Essentially, the U.S. Clash, this lp only.   A rare

    perfect lp.  Another amazing debut lp.  You must find it.  Or

    hear it on the Internet somewhere.  I’m positive that almost

    everyone who sees this list of records, including punx, will have

    little, to limited to no awareness of this amazing album.  Git it.

    I’m positive it’s expensive as the vinyl record.  But git it somehow

    otherwise.  You’ll be very pleased you did.  Tight, not hardcore.

45/2 The Undertones - Hypnotized - Ireland 1980 - - 44 12  Really, as

P     perfect as their first lp.  There is no better power pop band in the

     history of modern music.  Course, you gotta be able to stand those

     odd vocals by Starkey.  As usual, it's strong song writing that

     really carries this stuff.  Plus, they're like the most innocent

     earnest sounding band without sounding like idiots.  Does the

     phrase ‘power pop’ exist?  If not, this is the definition of it.

     Really strong song writing and, like Weezer, surprisingly strong

     guitar work and an excellent drummer.  Pure fun.

46/2 Tom Waits – Beautiful Maladies 1982-1990? L.A. A greatest hits of his 80’s material.  He

    reinvented his musical style by his wife helping him get onto vinyl the sounds in his head.

    This really is a spectacular compilation of his 5 or so 80’s albums.  It stands alone as one

    of his greatest records.  He’s got that total unique voice, gravely and an ability to tell a

    story in song.  I can listen to this album any time, anywhere and find full satisfaction.

47/2 The Beatles - Rubber Soul - UK 1965 - 5 96 8 A recognized classic

     bringing early 60's rock into later 60's rock.

48/2 The Beatles - Revolver - UK 1966 - 3 94 8 Every Beatles lp surprises

     at the musical and song writing quality.  Lennon and McCartney, as

     a team, were this generation's finest song writers.  As solo song

     writers they were just other rock artists.

49/2 Van Morrison - Moondance - ? 1970 - 65 234 17 Some nice songs

       on here from my teenage years.  Upon re-inspection there are

       not just some nice songs.  Every single song on here virtually kills.

       It’s 2 hairs from being perfect.  Song after song is basically a rock

       standard.  Unbelievable.  I may have to even put it higher.  Not sure.

       I’m shocked at how many classic rock songs are one this one album.

50/2 The Beatles - Abbey Road - UK 1969 - 14 89 14 There's nothin' like

     the Beatles.  Fine lp after fine lp.  Together Lennon & McCartny are

     perfection, apart they's much less than the whole.  Same as Joe

     Stummer and his writing partner, Mick Jones, light and dark, pop and hard,

     unraveled once they went their separate ways.  Real solid lp.

50a/2 The Jimi Hendrix Experience Seattle/UK 3 Nights at Winterland 6xcd from the

    Michael Jeffrey Estate Jimi’s family label did a release of these 3 nights and found

    the need to delete and, in the past even modify some songs. They only issued 1 or

    2 of the 4 versions of (This is America) The Star Spangled Banner.  That’s a real

    disservice since that one song was the one that Jimi consistently did the most   

    experimenting and veering off course on.  Tho perfected by Woodstock all other

    versions are worth hearing.  Apparently, Michael Jeffrey was a snake as a

    manager for the JHE.  A person close to the band said Michael confessed to him

    that he arranged Jimi’s death (which seems like a bit of a stretch given that Jimi

    died from afixiation from throwing up after drinking red wine which he didn’t

    usually consume along with sleeping pills he took due to his recent grueling big

    festival concert schedule, after having taken out a million dollar life insurance

    policy on Jimi and knowing that Jimi apparently and not surprisingly was ready

    to fire Michael.  The band didn’t get their hands substantial amounts of the

    money they earned while they were a band.  It was pretty plainly theft.  Aside

    from that ugliness, if one can put that aside and still enjoy the MJE releases, we

    do have an ethical dilemma here but it is Jimi’s music, when the MJE has

    released Jimi music they do it right, in full and unadultered and extensive. 

    There’s no reason the family label, Experience Hendrix, shouldn’t be releasing

    records this way.  They’re ever so slowly emptying the vaults and would do

    everyone a favor if they did it in the manner that the MJE does it.  This box set

    rules.  As close to being there as yer gonna get.

 

51/2 Husker Du - Land Speed Record - Minnesota 1981 - - 63 7 Another

P     amazing debut lp.   Really this is just very fast rock.  Never has been

     anything but that.  However, the speed all by itself plus the fact that

     there's no other very fast rock album in existence that I've ever heard,

     makes this live set just blaze.  And never underestimate song

     writing.  Sweet.  Powerful, relentless.  Virtually no time between

     songs, just the way I like it.  This is not 70.  They veered from this intense

     sound with their second album, though there was still a good spirit of this

     but after that they went, what shall we say, soft?  Slower?  I dunno, nothing

     wrong, but, if you ask me this album (and the second one) rule, this one more,

     and all the rest of their albums are, uh, well, there’s a wimp factor.  And the

     proof is when you read reviews like on amazon of the albums you’ll find all

     these fans of their other records and many of the reviews of this record are,

     ‘Oh my gosh, this is not good music,’  Hilarious.  This is certainly one of

     the most satisfyingly intense records I’ve ever heard.

51a/2 Jimi Hendrix – Anthology Seattle Apparently a bootleg made in Italy.  A live

    version of the top 24 hits of Jimi’s career.  The Experience Hendrix family label

    could easily do a release like this.  This is clearly done with great affection.  No

    poorly recorded songs.  Jimi played Italy maybe two gigs and said he’d like to

    live there.  Who wouldn’t?  There’s a groundswell of intense Jimi aficionados,

    ok, fanatics, in Italy and this release is the fruit of that.

52/2 Queens of the Stone Age – Songs for the Deaf.  Plays like it’s a journey from

P     L.A. to Palm Springs on the radio.  Actually, the lead guy said that was the

     Intention.  I just happened to hear it for the first time while driving alone

     on a sunny Saturday afternoon from San Diego to Temecula.  I played it

     loud and was shocked that each song was amazing, no weak links.  Play

     it today.  As with each P perfect album listed on this list, you’ll find zero

     weak or even just ok songs.  Only excellent/high quality songs.   Each

     song kills.  Dave Ghrohl drums to perfection and each song is a classic,

     neo metal, alt rock, punk inspired.  Funny thing is, after hearing this, the

     first album I’d heard of theirs I got their other albums and have heard

     samples of the two since then and none are remotely as close to as amazing

     through and through as this album is.

     

54/3 Wolfmother - Wolfmother 2000? Australia.  Have you heard them?  It’s like some

      guys in their 20’s had listened to numerous albums of their parents from the 60’s

      and re-created some of that rock sound but in a modern sound.  They also do a

      song that sounds like it comes right out of the White Stripes.  I dislike having this

      be 182 and 10.  It feels more appropriate for maybe 50/2.

55/3 The Dickies - The Incredible Shrinking Dickies - L.A.  1979 - - 27 3

P     A rare perfect lp.  Every single song.  And that bright yellow vinyl!

     Best speeded up/reworked rock covers of all time, Nights in White

     Satin and others!  Now, this is a funny and invigorating band who

     shoulda made it big and actually did take off in England, land of greater

     ability to appreciate high quality music from a broader spectrum than

     totally constrained U.S. radio.  Another amazing debut lp. 

56/3 Cream - Disraeli Gears - UK 1967 - (2xlp) 112 29 9  What a band.

P     Classic studio and that jammin' live.  Perfect chemistry between this

     trio.  Love Jack Bruce's voice with their lyricist's sorta spacey words. 

     A real super group.  Ginger Baker, master of the drums and Eric Clapton,

     I’ve never seen/heard the amazingness attributed to him in his guitar

     playing (it soared with Duane Allman with Derek and the Dominoes and

     with Blind Faith) and here, with his natural musical associates.  I’m so glad

     they reunified about 2005.  I was so tempted to fly to New York to see them

     but had insufficient funds so I bought the 2xcd and dvd.  Still awesome in

     their 60’s!

57/3 Allman Brothers Band - At Fillmore East - Georgia  (2lp) 1971

P       - 49 153 18 One of the finest live lps ever, jammin' perfection.

       To me this lp is sorta reminiscent of Derek and the Dominoes,

       I'm surprised I like it as much as I do and that I still wanna hear

       this stuff.  The 2 lps have stood the test of time for me much

       better than the Stones.  Not to deminish them.  Maybe it’s

       just me but it sticks to my ribs over the decades.  This album, maybe

       cuz of the heart in the songs and Duane on second guitar, is just a

       live monument to what they had.  This is not 163. They’ve since

       released an expanded version of this which is just more good stuff!

       I’m a big fan of almost all re-issues as I’m a big fan of not hearing the

       same thing over and over so if I get a live version of a song or demo

       or even a cover, I’m happy.

    

58/3 Pere Ubu - Dub Housing - Cleveland 1979 - - 33 1 Them at their peak.

P     A rare perfect lp.  Nobody like them.  Discordant yet always got

     the beat.  Not everyone's gonna like these odd vocals of David

     Thomas.  But the instrumentation is exceptional and it’s one of the

     VERY few bands who use keyboards that I love.  It’s cuz they always

     use them unconventionally.  They were in the world of punk but in

     the avant-garde category.  Still are.

59/3 Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance - Cleveland 1980? - - 106 6 Another

       amazing debut lp.  I have loved this band since I first heard them.

       Dischordant and never lose the beat.  Stands the test of time

       better because of that cuz I never really fully master the sound so

       it doesn't get completely predictable, for me at least.

60/3 Pere Ubu - Datapanik in the Year Zero 12" - Cleveland 1979

      1977-1978? - 72 8  Not a real lp but a comp of their early 7"s which

      are quirky and great.  Sorta Ubu at their most pure and energetic.

61/3 Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones 1983 Is Tom Wait’s finest re-creation of himself

P     in his new delving, spelunking into his inner sounds with his wife Kathleen.  It’s a

     very dense record taking you places with tales and sounds that are unexpected.

     A fantastic record that’s at least as good upon 10^th listening as lst, probably better.

     15 songs.  All killer.  That’s rare to have so many on an album.

62/3 Hives – Tyrannosaurus Hives 2000 Sweden.  These guys apparently have

     no manager.  They got a world wide post punk hit, with “Hate to Say I

     Told You So.”  I saw them live maybe 3 times and they just killed.  Total

     confidence.  More than any I’ve seen in a group, mainly, the lead singer.

     Catchy, hooks, dynamic, fun.  This should be higher.  Moved it from 67 to

     54 or so.  And why haven’t they released a live lp? They sort of did via their

     DVD.  Live they just amaze.   Though the last time I saw them they finally

     had lost a touch of edge.

63/3 Tom Waits - Rain Dogs 1985 How does he do it?  Where has he come from?  Where

P     will he go?  Like born completely formed.  Tons of songs too, 19!  That’s a

     real nerve to do that for any album and zero of the songs are weak.  All rule actually. 

     Magnificent, his own world, smelling and seeing of alleys and instrumentations that

     startle and please.  Do it baby.

64/3 The Jam - This is the Modern World - UK 1978 - - 108 15 Only a

P       tick, a smidigen less than In the City.  Completes their finest

       material, that is, their earliest work.  Song writing, song writing.

       Paul Weller is the main song writer and singer.  Wonderful voice.

       He’s become a rock statesman since then but here, in his late teens

       and early 20’s was his absolute musical prime.  You must hear them.

       Ok, ok, the third in their series of  'we still haven't gotten too Motown

       crazy or pre Style Councilly yet' lps.  Jam man, jam.  The title

       song itself is one of the finest songs ever and, again, it’s an album

       with zero weak songs.

65/3 The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - UK 1967

     - 1 98 4  Clearly, a culture and even society changer.  Ushered in

     the acknowledgement of drugs seeped deep into Western culture

     and a next stage of rock.  Rich, complex lp.

66/3 Discharge - Hear Nothing, See Nothing - UK 1984? - - 186 18

       The last great release from this band, their first lp aside from

       the Why 12".  Classic hardcore punk rock.  Go boys.

67/3 Discharge - Why - UK 12" 1982? - - 84 4 Another amazing debut lp

     (12")  One of the finest punk rock 12"s ever.  Their 7"s prior to this

     and Hear Nothing lp after this are also great.  Somehow, this

     particular release is perfectly contained.  It's no accident so many

     Dis bands exist (in Sweden I guess?).  It's a classic punk rock

     sound.

68/3 Discharge – Decontrol the Singles 1980-1984 and the Why 12” all remastered.

     Surely, the finest set of HC singles ever.  Of course, these 3 Discharge

     listings are pre them going metalish which is, of course, horrid.

69/4 I Thrash, Therefore I Am - Europe w/ Mob 47, Anti Cimex, Xpozez +

     1985 - 17 1 1985-2003  A tape release.  The finest hc punk rock comp

     ever which is a tough call with the next 3 or so punk comps listed below

     being almost equally amazing.  I think, my favorite comp name. 

     Reissued on cd with additional trax in 2002.  Yes, this is on BCT, my own

     living room label, which I did with Dave and then topher and the help of

     others.  Doesn’t mean this isn’t the greatest HC punk tape, now cd and

     even lp comp ever. 

70/4 Offspring – Greatest Hits.  Orange County mid 90’s.  I can’t believe

     how these guys can be hit machines.  And most of the songs are from

     one then another particular album.  They hit a hot streak.  Maybe

     the U.S. version of the Cockney Rejects in that the songs are very

     memorable and singalongable.  They have musical shifts in the songs

     rather than just the same little tune or something from start to finish

     and some surprisingly deep observations about life and life in modern

     America.

71/4 Russia Bombs Finland - Finland w/ Kaaos, Bastards, TK, Riistetyt,

    Appendix 1982 - - 25 3  You want a perfect hc comp lp?  This is it.

    As I recall, all the bands are Finnish, one of the greatest contributors

    of world class hardcore punk in the world.

72/4 Kaaos - Total Chaos - Finland 1994 1981-1993 - 79 9 Not a true lp.

     Possibly Finland's best band.  There's something special about

     their sound.  A classic case of another great Finnish band that

     makes some great records but seems to never get much outside

     their country.  So, all we have are these great records.   If you want

     punk rock, hc, here it is.

73/4 Buzzcocks - Singles Going Steady - UK 1979 - 358 77 14 Though this

P     is a comp of their 7"s I've always considered it a true lp.  It fits

     together perfectly, in fact, I think of this and...  (This is higher than 82.)

74/4 Buzzcocks - A Different Kind of Tension - UK 1979? - - 78 15 ...as

P     like a two lp set.  They fit beautifully on a 90 minute tape and

     sound like they belong together.  Their classic songs truly stand

     the test of time.   The fact that these hit songs didn't make it on

     U.S. radio as hits just proves how bankrupt U.S. radio has been

     and, obviously, continues to be, with only moderately decent

     stations or great ones that are tiny like inaccessible college radio

     stations (except on the East Coast where at least you apparently

     don't need cable radio to hear those stations, though their range is

     quite limited I understand.)  This is higher than 83.  Over the years

     these two albums continue to satisfy me consistently, like few others.

     Nothing else they ever did after this period stands up to this music.

     The best they can do it do these live and a remastered release. 

75/4 Really Fast vol 1 - Sweden w/ Anti Cimex, Asta Kask, Huvudtvatt +

P     1983 - - 30 5  An awesome punk rock comp.  Still unbelievable.  As

     the volumes continued to be released each one was further and

     further away from this perfection.  At least for vol 1 they totally

     lived up to their name.  Oddly, as each volume came out, 2, 3 and maybe

     there was a volume 4, they got less and less good.  This album rules.  Total

     hardcore, total quality.

76/4 We Can Do Whatever We Want - Best of BCT #1 U.S./Europe w/

P     Raw Power, Wretched, CCM, Rattus, Psycho + 1986 - - 55 5

     Classic combo of U.S. and European hc from the early 80's.  Punk,

     due to its selfless sharing and lack of competition and not-making

     -a-living-at-it ethos, has released far more and better compilations

     than any other music.  Producers don't delete groups for mass

     commercialism/'will it sell' reasons.  Instead, those producers are

     simply fans, releasing what sounds great to their ears.  Period.

     Thus, it's no accident there's many punk comps on this list and,

     probably, none from any other music styles.  We could have made

     it 40 minutes but stopped at 32 cuz it was the best of tapes 1 to 11.

     If we were smarter we would have gone into 12 to use the rest of the

     time available on an album.  A local nice suburban punk, Jason, did

     the art for us.  I loved having the idea for it and he brought it to life.

     I’m not sure I’ve ever commissioned anything before or since.

77/4 The Bobs - My I'm Large - L.A. 1987 - - 46 3 Also as brilliant as their

P     first lp.  Awesome lyrics and usually I don't care about lyrics a twit.

     Funny stories, incredible harmonizing.  This is what accapella is all

     about.  Three guys and a gal.  By this point, the original 4.  This

     and their other early albums have stood the test of time.  Decades

     and I’m just as excited and thrilled by the musical beauty as ever.

     Not all their later albums were able to be brilliant, song after song,

     but this one is.  You haven’t heard them have you?  Go listen bub.

78/4 Tom Waits - Nighthawks at the Diner 1975  The nerve to release a 2xLP live record

P    for a 4^th album.  And that’s not, by itself startling, what is, is that it’s all new songs! 

     Incredible.  As it turns out, live is part of the real magic for Tom Waits and this is his

     persona and live humor and 70’s sound showcased at it’s finest.  ‘Emotional

     Weather report’, “High tonight, low tomorrow, precipitation is expected”.

79/4 Raw Power - Raw Power studio/live 1983/1984 - Italy - 34 3  If these

P     Italians don't blow you away on this record then your taste in punk

     is easily questionable.  Originally released on tape only till 2000's,

     now on cdr.  It is their finest despite Screams from the Gutter of 1984

     being their most well known lp primarily because tape format, just in and

     of itself, removes the music of a tape only release from the ears of

     most listeners, in punk or otherwise.   This captures them both

     studio and live at their peak with the original best screaming punk

     vocalist of all time doing about 6 songs each side including the

     punk classics Raw Power/F. Authority.

80/4 Appendix - el raha vo mun valuuttaa - Finland 1983 - - 64 8 Another

     amazing debut (their only) lp.  Finland has its own classic punk

     sound and this is a classic from that prime early 80's period. 

     Money is No My Currency is West German pressed version.  One

     of the top 3 or so Finnish hc bands along with Kaaos  and Lama.

     This is not 71.

81/4 The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Winterland 6xcd.  This probably shouldn’t be listed so

      low.  As bad as their big manager, Michael Jeffrey appears to have been, at the

      very least, in terms of getting money to the band members, his estate (he died I

      think in a plane crash in 1973?) has released some of the finest posthumous Jimi

      records ever and this is maybe their best.  They specialize in cleaning up the

      original tapes (sounds like to me) and releasing it all, not nit picking bits and pieces

      out like the Experience Hendrix (Jimi’s family’s label) has done, specifically, with

      these 3 shows they played in a row in San Francisco in October 1968.  Experience

      Hendrix only included one version of the Star Spangled Banner while Michael’s

      label released all 3 or 4. That song was the one that Jimi did the most improvising

      on in his live shows.  Just a stellar live box set.  Packaging is virtually nothing.

      Musical content is A+.

82/4 Wretched - libero divivere - Italy 1984 - - 41 4 If this Italian band

P    doesn't blow your brains out, no one will.  Together with their two

    perfect 7"s before this, this lp is a rare perfect lp and stands as one

    of the finest punk lps ever.  Another amazing debut (their only) lp.

    Do you want to hear one of the finest HARD hardcore, intense hardcore

    punk bands of all time?  Git this album.  All sung in Italian.  Actually,

    mostly, not all.

83/4 k d lang – ingenue 1992? Canada.  I’m happy to report this is a perfect album.  It’s

P     quite short really but each song is strong, robust, well written and beautifully sung. Of her

     many albums this one is, by far, to me, the finest.  Torch singer!  This really should be ranked

     higher than 105.  Somehow it slipped to 133 but I get to still have it as 8.  If I had any

     musical backbone at all I’d move it up to like 20.

84/4 Robin Thicke - The Evolution of Robin Thicke – 2000? U.S. The sexiest

P    album aside from Gato Babarie’s sax Tropical album.  Robin has

    the coolest approach and the smoothest feel.  He’s got other albums

    but none of them measure up to this one.  I may call it perfect, I’m

    not sure.  It is excellent.  If you want some quality time with the love

    of your romantic life, this is the album.

85/4 Pagans - (the pink album) - Cleveland 1983 - - 48 4 America's answer

     to the Clash.  Badly underknown band.  Incredible lp.  Tons of fun.

     This is what should have been popular on the radio.  Just don't ever

     get anything live by them, definitely a studio band.  Formed 1974,

     really and truly, the first real punk band in the world from what I can

     tell.  Classic songs.  You have to hear them.

86/4 Pagans - Buried Alive - Cleveland 1986 1977-1979 - 119 10 Not a

       true lp.  This collection is so good.  A way under recognized band

       in America.  That's a real shame.  If you ain't heard 'em, of maybe

       any single group on this list, you gotta.  Forget their live stuff.

87/4 Blind Faith - Blind Faith - UK 1969? - - 90 5 Another amazing debut

     (their only) lp.   The rare rock song about God, 'Presense of the

     Lord'.   A one off band/release with classic chemistry.  These

     guys were a super group in 1969.  It’s a lovely album.  Rock

     with something special.

88/4 100 Flowers - discography 81?-84? Not a true lp but an anthology

    of all their releases.  The next stage after the Urinals, same 3 guys.

    Still great music, stands the test of time well.  Not HC but

    definitely intelligent punk.  Somewhat minimalist.  Unique and

    tasty decade after decade.

89/4 Cream - Fresh Cream - UK 1967 - 101 38 10 Really, just as great as

P     the other 2 Cream lps.  Has easily stood the test of time.

     This combo sadly broke up prematurely, apparently, too much touring

     and not enough breaks ie, poor management, squeezing out as much

     cash from them as they could.  I should have their Those Were the Days

     4 cd box set on this list.  It’s basically got all their albums and their other

     few stray songs.  If yer a fan at all, get the box set.

90/4 Rank and File - Sundown - L.A. 1982 - - 80 6 Another amazing debut

P     lp.  A rare perfect lp.  Are you hearing that rare perfect lp phrase a

     lot on this list?  Only cuz every single perfect lp I've ever heard is

     on this list which excludes 1000's of other lps that didn't come

     close to bein' great enough to be on this list.  The perfect blend of

     deep vocals, country flavor, rock flavor blend.   What I wish

     country really sounded like or, at least, that there were commonly,

     many bands that sounded like this, generally.  But, nope, none that

     I know of.  There's nothing like it, and only two songs on their

     second lp up to this level.  A must listen.  Not really country, not

     really punk.  It's own beautiful merging of those sounds.

91/4 Bikini Kill - Pussy Whipped - U.S. 1994? - - 39 4 Nobody ever

P     sounded like them again.  The best Riot Grrl band, by far.  The

    perfect angry girl (w/ a guy drummer) band.  Gave birth to Riot grrl

    bands, built on the shoulders of Slits/Raincoats/Bush Tetras.

    Man this rocks, hard.  Everything they released was amazing until

    their last lp, Reject All American, which only had like 2 good songs.

92/4 Cream - Wheels of Fire - UK (2lp) 1968 - 203 40 9 Really, just as great

P     as the other 2  Cream lps.  You typically saw this lp in about every

     teenager's record collection in 1970 or so.  Back in the day, this lp

     blew minds.  It's still lovely.  Classic rock with no apologies.  Blues

     based with the perfect trio.

93/4 Ramones - Ramones - NY 1976 - 33 126 6 Another amazing debut

P       lp.  A rare perfect lp.  Really, this is as great as 2 of the next 3 lps.

      Together those 3 have 95% of all the classic Ramones songs.

      Probably their last 10 or so lps could produce 1/2 an lp's worth of

      good songs.  This one rules.  Essentially, they invented punk.

      From what I can tell the Pagans started in 1974 and really started it

      but the Ramones blew it off the map and set the punk world on fire

      with a strong example of DIY (do it yourself) and no modification of

      their musical sound, must playing what they wanted tho apparently,

      they did hope to make a living from it and through selling their iconic

      t-shirts and incessant touring, they did.

94/4 Ramones - Road to Ruin - NY 1978 - - 188 12 Another classic

    Ramones lp, one of 3.  This is higher than 198.  Three of their four first

    albums were simply perfect punk albums and they were never able to

    achieve that level of consistent punkability with any later albums.  After

    these first albums there were just some songs on some albums that were

    great but, these first 3 of 4 albums are impossibly fun, basic, ‘roots punk’.

    Classic folks.

95/4 Ramones - Rocket to Russia - NY 1977 - 105 128 7  Second in a

P       series of classic Ramones.  This is not 131.

96/5 Last White Christmas vol 1 - Italy w/ Raw Power, Auschlag,

     Wardogs +  1983 - - 67 8  The best recorded live punk gig of

     all time.  The CCM material on vol 2 elevates that set but this

     release, originally as a 90 minute tape, is flawless, every song

     blazes and it's pure Italian hc that is totally the most unique and

     completely satisfying at the same time, punk rock on the planet.

     Re-issued on cd in 2002.  If you haven’t heard Italian HC punk

     just get this or, if you can’t find it, look up the bands on You Tube.

     Very satisfying musically with a unique punk sound that simply does

     not exist in any other country.  And, as usual, from what I can hear,

     basically, the finest HC punk rock came from the 80’s like 1980 to

     1986.  I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a record released after 1986

     that ruled.  And this rules.  Yea, it’s on BCT.  And I love it.

97/5 Senza Tregua – Italian HC tape comp 1983.  Reissued on lp 2002 with an

       Amazing cover by Winston Smith.  A compilation of Italian HC

       bands.  Very strong.  That classic Italian HC punk rock sound that

       just isn’t found anywhere else.  Possibly the best Italian HC punk rock

       compilation ever made.  Like a studio version of live songs from the

       incredible LWC gig in Italy in 1983.

98/5 They Decide...You Pay Italian HC tape comp 1983.  Reissued on cd 2002. Another

      excellent Italian HC tape comp.  Like Senza Tregua, like a studio version of many

      of the songs from the giant Last White Christmas gig December 4, 1983.

99/5 The Thermals – More Parts Per Million 2003 Portland

100/5 The Thermals – Now We Can see 2009 Portland

101/5 The Thermals – F A 2007? Portland

102/5 The Thermals – The Body The Blood the Machine 2006 Portland  Really, I actually

      had a friend put 3 of these, maybe all 4, of these short albums onto a single cd.

      Just a trio, with a very sweet African American young lady on bass.  Not quite

      as brilliant musically live.  Seen ‘em twice.  But these records have memorable

      songs and, like Superchunk, create a musical space that is post punk and hearty

      and alive and musically aggressive while being not really punk rock.  I love this stuff.

103/5 Alberta Hunter – Amtrack Blues 1978 U.S.

104/5 Alberta Hunter – Dowhearted Blues: Live at the Cookery 1981 U.S.

105/5 Alberta Hunter – Remember My Name 1978 U.S. I’m gonna sorta fudge here too and

     simply count these three of her 4 albums (there’s an excellent live one too along

     with a live dvd).  She was a blues singer in the 20’s through 50’s then retired and

     was tracked down by jazz fans from Denmark and went on to make 4 albums in the

     early 80’s when she was in her early 80’s.  She played mostly in New York but also

     in Germany and Brasil.  Incredible, fiesty and like Johnny Cash, she sounds way better

     to these ears singing in her final years than in her early years.  Spectacular.  Don’t

     dare miss this stuff.  Track some down, maybe on You Tube or something.  You’ll be

     very glad you did and you can share it with your folks!

106/5 Superchunk – On the Mouth 93 North Carolina

107/5 Superchunk – No Pocky for Kitty 91

108/5 Superchunk-Foolish 94

109/5 Superchunk – Take the Tube VHS live 95?

      I’m going to lump these three cd releases and VHS live tape together.  Actually,

      the three albums are great and the VHS tape has great live footage.  They did

      a dvd with extensive live footage and travelogue footage from their touring. 

      Musically, this satisfies in a way that I can’t find from any other band.  Those

      dual guitars thicken it up and the music is catchy, peppy, original and stays strong

      over the years with good vocals.

110/5 Neil Young - Harvest - Canada/S.F. 1972 - - 154 8  This is just a

     fundamentally sweet and gentle lp without bein' wimpy at all.

     This is not 164.  There’s power to this music.  It’s at the heart

     of country without any feeling of being country western music.

111/5 Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True - UK 1977 - 168 74 5  Another

P     amazing debut lp.  A breath of fresh air and his finest release ever.

      He never was a punk.  He was like Joe Jackson and the Jam and

      Ian Dury and the Blockheads, they just happened to come out during

      punk but they were something else, maybe from pub rock?  This

      album benefits from his youth and energy and attitude.  Oddly, it’s

      done with Huey Lewis and the News, News band.  Not even the

      Attractions who accompanied Elvis on his next brilliant 4 or so albums.

112/5 Television - Marquee Moon U.S. 1975? - - 61 10 A birthplace of

     punk, probably unwittingly cuz it’s more post Pink Floyd/straight

     rock/new music sound.  I love great guitar and these guys

     got it in spades with two guitarists.  A special sound through the whole

     lp.  Another amazing debut lp.  I’d list it higher but it’s not special

     on every single song, just most of them and the song Marquee Moon

     is itself one of the great songs in American musical history.  It really

     takes you places.  This album was a real influence on punk in America. 

     Still is.  Second lp only had like 2 songs as great as those on this lp.

113/5 The Clash - The Story of, vol 1 - UK 1988 1977-1980 - 53 4  Not a real

     lp but certainly an excellent collection of their best work from their

     first years.  In fact, I prefer it to some of their regular lp releases cuz

     the occasional less than brilliant song gets dropped and only their

     incredible collection of great songs are here for listening enjoyment.

     Really, the best rock 'n roll band on the planet in this period, maybe

     ever.  There’s a singles cd and I’d like to see how it compares to what

     songs are on here.

114/5 The Contortions - Buy the Contortions - NY 1979 - - 134 7  More

      James Brown meets NY No Wave attitude meets you can count

      on these guys to wed NY punk attitude with modern horn based

      fast whankin' music.  Another near perfect lp.  Another amazing debut lp.

      White James Brown.  Part of the NY No Wave late 70's movement.

      There just ain't enough horns in modern rock.  Thanks James.

115/5 DRI - dirty rotten lp, of 22 song 7" - Texas/S.F. 1981? - - 101 3

       Originally released as a 7".   Another amazing debut (sorta) lp.

      They were never finer.  Classic punk rock.  Really ushered in the

      next stage of speed into hc.  I remember when the 7" first came out

      and you just knew it was an automatic classic.  22 fully formed

      songs on a 7".  Rock 'n roll was never like this.

116/5 No New York comp - NY w/ James Chance and the Contortions,

P     Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, DNA, Mars 1978 - - 43 4  Eno

     produced this, making each band sound better than any release

     they ever did otherwise.  Which does not mean their other

     records were not great.  They were.  A rare perfect lp maybe

     slightly less so with 1 or 2 Mars songs, who, let’s face it, are

     irritating/agitating/difficult, something along a line of Throbbing

     Gristle with less industrial feel.  The heart of the No Wave late 70's

     New York sound.  If you get no other record from this period/scene,

     get this one.

117/5 The English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It - UK 1980 - - 137 10 Another

P      amazing debut lp.  I listened to this for years.  Their second lp is

      also a classic.  These guys and the Specials were the only 2 UK

      punk era ska bands who did it right, though some got close like

      Bad Manners, the Selector and particularly, Madness.  But this lp

      is definitely another perfect lp, every single song is a classic and

      the lp holds together beautifully.  With the oldest guy in the scene

      playin' sax.

118/5 Santana - III - Tijuana/S.F. 1973? - - 167 22 Their third lp here is

       still class Santana.  But after Lotus came out in 1974 everything

       they did afterward suffered cuz they couldn't find a great singer

       Till Clive Davis thought of blending Santana with guest pop

       vocalist which finally made Santana swing again 25 years later.

       This is higher than 171.  Really, their first 3 albums, Santana,

       Abraxis and this one, III, are a trio that are essentially equally great

       and very nearly a single album released over a 4 or so year period.

       I actually have the 3 of them released in a box set.  Very fitting.

119/6 Latin Playboys - first lp - East L.A. 1993? - - 56 4 Another amazing

     debut lp.  Two of the Los Lobos boys with two Caucasian boys.

     Experimental Mexican modern rock.  The only band since Santana

     to really truely mix those forms successfully.  I actually rank this

     and the other Latin Playboys albums as higher than Los Lobos cuz

     Los Lobos has too much roots rock for me though they are brilliant,

     especially live.  But Latin Playboys have a zing, a flavor, an expansion

     on the Los Lobos sound that hits a sweet spot for me.

120/6 Latin Playboys – Dos East L.A., 1999.  The second (and so far, only other) album from

     two of the guys from Los Lobos and two other guys.  I probably like them better than

     Los Lobos cuz they’re more adventuresome musically and Los Lobos tends to get too

     roots rocky for me.  I wish Los Lobos was more like this, touch of experimental, some

     horn (they use a tuba well here).

121/6 James Brown - Greatest Hits - U.S. 1991 60's & 70's 414 162 8 Not a

       true lp but I picked greatest Hits cuz he's a hit making machine.

       Saw him live in the mid 70's.  Me, my date and about 2 other

       couples were the only non African Americans in the Community

       Concourse.  What a live performer.  Takin' ya higher and higher

       and then you realize he's come to the peak and he's takin' you

       back down again.

122/6 Weezer - Weezer (Blue Album) - U.S. 1994 - 297 173 9 Another

       amazing debut lp.  Nerds unite! behind driving power git which

       brings this band to life along with the endless song writing

       ability of their lead guy.

123/6 Weezer Weezer (Green Album) - L.A. 2001 - - 193 9 I don't know if

        these guys stick to the ribs enough to still sound great 10, 20

        years later but I been enjoying them now.  Haven't liked any of

        their live boot material or their many unpolished demo songs.

        A superior studio band that, if they didn't have hard gits it'd

        be way too wimpy.

124/6 Weezer - Maladroit - L.A. 2002 - - 194 9 I'm so pleased they can

        keep making solid music.  I wanna hear what the Weezer punk

        tribute cd sounds like.  This song writer writes so many songs

        it seems to me they could release a new lp about annually.

125/6 Fleetwood Mac – The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions 6xcd 1967-1969 U.K. w/ lps

126/6   Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac;  Mr. Wonderful 1968;  Pious Bird of Good Omen 1969;

127/6  The Original Fleetwood Mac ;  Blues Jam in Chicago Vol. 1 & 2. Really, this is the

128/6  collected album releases of the pre-girls versions of the band, and pre loss of Peter Green

       that is, one of the strongest UK blues rock bands ever.  Plus, there’s extra tracks included. 

      A must have for fans of this late 60’s, early 70’s version of this band, though, if you are, it’s

      likely you already have some or most or even all of these albums.  If you don’t have say half

      or more, I’d go for it.  I had one so it was an easy decision.  Lovingly done box set. 

      Essentially, this is cheating cuz it’s really 6 of their albums counting as one.  I’m less

      fond of the two Jam albums with U.S. bluesmen tho they are good so I’m not counting

      them out of this box.

129/6 Fleetwood Mac – Shrine ’69 released 1999.

130/6 Fleetwood Mac :Re-mastered  3xcd - Live in Boston 1970 released 1998.  Together these

      live releases capture this band live beautifully.  Oddly, they were fans, tho not oddly

      given their age, of 50’s rock and did some of those songs which are dismissive for me.

      But their enthusiasm for American blues and their ability to create it afresh like British

      Ska did recreating ska with the Specials and the English Beat.  I love Peter Green’s

      vocals, guitar work and song writing.  A deep love and respect for American blues.

131/6 Black Flag - Everything Went Black - L.A.  (2lp) 1984? 1978-1981?

     - 69 7  Not a real lp but talk about finding gold when you clear out

     the kitchen sink!  Thanks guys, for giving us the demos of

     ultra punk classic Black Flag songs sung by your other vocalists

     before your least of them, Henry, got to them.  Some of the most

     classic punk rock songs of all time.  Keith Morris was their

     definitive vocalist (maybe that's the punk equivalent of who's more

     right, Sean Connery or Roger Moore or Pierce Brosnan.)  Plus,

     there's those great radio ads for their local gigs which was on the 4^th

     side of the 2xlp release.  Don't bother with the single lp version if

     you can get the 2xlp version which has those ads.  It was Sean Connery.

132/6 MDC - Millions of Dead Cops (first press mix) – Texasthen they moved to

      S.F. 1981? - - 92 5  Another amazing debut lp.  There's two versions,

      one has a black border around the front cover, the other doesn't and

     the mixes are subtly but detectably different.   A classic punk rock

     lp.  When it came out it was like an automatic part of the punk rock

     in yer house and in the punk world.  Every song a classic.  I believe

     it’s the version with the black border that is superior.  A lyrically intense

     band, maybe the most potently political band in hc from the U.S.

133/6 Woody Allen - Stand Up Comic - NY (2lp) 1978 1964 - 122 10 you

P       gotta hear this.  No, really, you have to.  If you love comedy

       go get it.  If you love his early films (90’s annual films or so

       basically suck) this brings out his classic stand-up comedy,

       thankfully, preserved on these lps.  "We don't need to get to our

       cars."

134/6 Mau Mau's - Running With the Pack, - UK 7"s & live

P     1984? 1981-1983? - 58 4  Not a true lp but a comp of their amazing 3

     7"s and a live gig.  Those 3 7"s are incredible.  All the songs sound

     almost the same but I love that song.  This band is not well known,

     even among punx.  You gotta hear 'em.  This is not the Mau Mau's

     from L.A.  It’s, uh, tougher somehow, I can’t esplain it really.  The live

     show magically starts as they set up tuning and so forth on stage with a

     classical song slowly building to a crescendo and just at the moment that

     this song busts the band kicks in hard on their first song.  Stupendous.

135/6 Garden State soundtrack, 2004 with Coldplay; the Shins; Colin Hay 
     doing one of my favorite touching songs of lost love ever; Nick Drake; 
     Iron and Wine plus 8.  It’s clear the director and main actor (that guy from 
     that TV hospital comedy show) took pains to create a true soundtrack

      that both matched the various elements of the film as well as used some 
      of the finest songs of the up-to-the-minute day.  My daughter and others 
      say they dislike the movie and love the soundtrack.  I love both.  I should 
      probably rate this more like 51/3 but I can't cuz of just 3 awesome songs.

136/6  Cockney Rejects – Greatest Hits Vol. 2.  Ditto (that is, virtually as great

P   as their first album.  That means this lp rules!  It’s like side B of Vol. 1’s

    side A.  Totally sing a longable stuff!  If you haven’t heard them and you

    like punk of any kind, you HAVE TO check this and/or Vol. 1 out. In theory

    it’s Oi.  In reality it’s a snotty/working stiff vocals with guys or someone in

    the band who can really write a great song and song after song they just hit

    the mark.  I don’t know how some bands can do that like the Offspring.

    I’ve heard some musicians like Tom Waits and others who say the song exists

    you just sorta birth it or channel it into existence.

137/7 Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables - S.F. 1980

       - - 143 14 Another amazing debut lp.  A rock solid part of punk

       rock in the U.S. and about the only U.S. punk band embraced

       completely in the UK.  They're playin' some of these songs on

       alternative radio now and they fit beautifully.  Twenty-five years

       later radio is able to finally catch up with this classic.  This is one

       of the strongest groups instrumentally, perfect for such a dynamic

       vocalist.  This is higher than 149.

   

138/7 The Clash – The Clash 1978 or 77.  UK.  Their debut and it announces

     the presence of a strong song writing team who would only be able to

     stay together for 4 lps.  A real shame.  I’ve only read a few books about

     rockers and this was one of the bands along with Jimi.  A true sound.

     A group that had no intentions of not making it but who also, clearly, wanted

     to be real, to not be a commercial shill and to make music that meant something.

     In fact, they’ve been called ‘the only band that mattered’.  Regardless, there’s

     some depth musically and sometimes lyrically and especially their presence on

     stage.

139/7 Half Japanese - The Band That Would Be King  - U.S. 1989 - - 5 2

     1989-2003  There is no band like them on earth.  Sometimes they hit,

     sometimes they miss.  This whole lp hits.  Unexpected even after

     years of listening to it.  Sax, beautifully used, a guy, John Zorn, who knows from

     experimental jazz how to blend well with this wild ride of a musical group, hooks,

     gits.  Raw musical beauty with no commercial buffering added.  The rare perfect

     lp.  However, upon recent re-listening, it’s got a reissue with a total of 36 or so songs.

     It’s not perfect.  It’s brilliant overall, but some just good songs.  There is no band

     even remotely like them.  Jad Fair is so esoteric and got such a sorta childlike voice

     and lyrics but the band, whomever he has in various incarnations of the band on their

     several albums, strongly support his eccentricity to perfection.

140/7 Propaganda - hardcore 1983 - Finland w/ Riistetyt, Rattus, Bastards,

     F.ing Finland, Tampere SS + 1982? - - 31 4  I've always thought of

     this lp as a companion to Russia Bombs Finland, both equally,

     really, amazing hc comp lps.  Great red vinyl.

141/8 Elvis Costello - This Year's Model - UK 1978 - 98 161 22  Not as

       brilliant as the debut lp but still his second strongest lp ever.  His

       voice, his way with words, his youthful energy and effortless

       merging with the Attractions is sweetness.  This should be higher than 171.

145/8 Derek and the Dominos - Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs -

     UK/U.S.  (2xlp) 1970 - 115 83 14  Another amazing debut lp.

     Except for Cream and Blind Faith, this is the most definitive

     material Eric Clapton ever did.  Anything else he did was just the

     occasional good song.  This double lp material is a true work of

     musical art with a very touching acoustic song to top it all off.

     If you love multi guitar classic jam oriented rock, this is perfection.

     It’s clear that Duane Allman was somehow able to be Clapton’s

     counter guitarist in a way that just was perfection.  Tragically, Duane

     died in a motorcycle crash in 1971.  His brother said he liked to go

     real fast.  After Duane Derek and the Dominos did a live lp but replaced

     Duane with a keyboardist.  No thanks.

146/8 Hives – Veni Vidi, Vicious 2004? Sweden.  These guys are so great.  Sharp, tight,

     A drummer introduced as the human metronome.  Fun, funny, everything you

     want in a post punk pop band.  This should be listed higher than 170.

146a/8  X - Los Angeles - L.A. 1980 - 286 132 9 Another amazing debut lp.

      John Doe and Xzene have the best harmonizing vocals in punk

      rock.  They were never a hc band.  Their song (I'm Livin' with a)

      White Girl is the personal theme song for me and my wife of 23

      years!  Almost more a rock band, but with true punk roots.  Billy

      Zoom has that clean git sound and Bonebrake is one of my favorite

     drummers, especially when he plays the vibes when X do acoustic.

147/8 The Bobs - Songs For Tomorrow Morning - L.A. 1988 - - 60 7  If

     you haven't heard them it's a loss for you.  Their first 3 lps, this

     being the third, are precious and totally stand the test of time.

     Accappella all the way, great funny lyrics.

148/8 Aretha Franklin - Golden Hits - U.S. 1974? - - 65 6  Duane Allman

     plays guitar on several songs on this re-recording of her best songs. 

     If you don't get any of her other lps, get this one.

149/8 The Members - At the Chelsea Nightclub - UK 1980? - - 207 11

       Another amazing debut lp. These guys have energy to spare,

       invented a sort of ska/hybrid sound, sorta half UK pop punk,

       half New Wave but real, not slinky skinny ties with poofy hair

       music.  Substantial lp that definitely bears listening to.  I'll bet

       a lotta folks have never heard this gem.  Should be higher than 217.

150/8 Nirvana - Nevermind - Seattle 1991 - 17 208 34 Picked as the

       number one lp by the readers of Uncut music/movie magazine in

       the UK.  I love that they could make so much music and just be

       a trio.  Clearly, their great ability was song writing, Kurt's great

       vocals and that Teen Spirit song and video broke open a new

       grunge era for the masses.  R.I.P. Kurt.  Should be higher than 218.

151/8 Led Zepplin - Houses of the Holy - UK 1973 - 149 209 19 I loved

       this lp in the 70's too.  Haven't heard it in over 20 years.  Should be

       higher than 219.

152/8 Circle Jerks - Group Sex - L.A. 1980 - - 9 3 1979-2003  The finest single

     pure punk lp ever.  (only cuz there's so much beautiful reggae on

     Attitude).  31 minutes?  Perfection.  Deny Everything!  Filled with

     perfect punk rock singles.  Another amazing debut lp.  I kept lowering

     this on the list believing there’s only a few classic punk hits on it.  I

     gotta listen to this thing again.

153/8 The Slits – Cut 1980? U.K. A spectacular all girl band part of the UK punk

      scene of the late 70’s and early 80’s.  They carved out a unique

      sound that was traveled by the Raincoats and Lilliput/Kleenex as

      well, a girl sound with some reggae influences on some songs, a

      cavalier attitude to what was acceptable in song structure and writing.

      Finally got to see them live about 2000 and it was very rewarding even

      though there were only like two original members, though one was the

       main vocalist who has since passed. 

154/8 Ace & the Ragers – Steal Your Girlfriend 2000? U.S. Their second album. 

       Essentially, a rockabilly band with 2 horns and really fun lyrics about

       girlfriends and a song that should have been a hit about wanting to

       go out with a particular ‘College Girl’ but he’s just a young workin’

       stiff and another song about a girl that always, well, she’s a scamp

       and, well, it’s tons of fun especially if you like tight horns in your

       peppy, scrappy modern rockabilly.  I know, you’ve never heard

       of them.  Who has?  From Ohio or something.  Only played

       middle America in their 3 or so years.  Don’t bother with the first

       album.  And this one has like 16 songs.  I wish there was more.

155/8 Half Japanese - Music To Strip By 1987 - - 19 2  As great,

    really, as King lp.  Every song is wonderful.  If you just get 2 lps by

    these guys, get these 2.

156/8 Half Japanese – Charmed Life 1996? U.S. Jad Fair has quite weak solo albums.

       None of them have much to them.  It’s cuz, in my humble opinion, when

       he’s got a group of musicians behind him, various incarnations, calling them

       Half Japanese, his somewhat childish voice and song subjects come alive,

       backed with musical imagination and gusto by the band.  This is one of

       the 3 Half Japanese albums along with The Band Who Would Be King and

       Music to Strip By (you can count the excellent Greatest Hits, no problem)

       that, if you want music that is totally outside the normative range, even of

       punk (it’s not hardcore, it’s, uh, different) or rock (it’s rock based) but, it’s

       defiantly Jad’s own style with a band that makes this some of the greatest

       modern music, from those 4 albums, that I’ve ever heard.

157/8 Grevious Musical Harm 1982? tape international hardcore punk comp.

158/8 Raw War HC comp 1982 tape Europe Various bands, all hardcore, all magnificent.

       One and two of the very first hardcore comp tape releases and still, today, plays

       real strong.  That’s everything about a compilation.  l don’t include weak songs

       and they followed that basic premise here.  I learned it from them when me and

       my friends did our own HC tape label in 1983 to 1986, BCT.

159/8 Stevie Ray Vaughn – 4xcd box set Austin.  Mainly the box set because I can’t really find one

     of SRV and Double Trouble’s 4 studio albums to be particularly spectacular in and of itself.

     They are all represented in this box along with live and other tracks.  This box set is for

     fans but, with it, it’s all you really need though a SRV novice would be well served simply

     buying their greatest hits.  He had the blues in him, an honorary black guy.  He could

     play Jimi, and did cover about 4 of his songs, with confidence.  He and his bass man both

     got sober going to rehab and he’d play a little background guitar each show after that

     imploring the audience to either get sober or help friends who needed to.  Tragically, he

     died in a helicopter crash in 1990.  Texas Flood 1983; Couldn’t

     Stand the Weather 1984; Soul to Soul 1985; Live Alive 1986; In Step 1989.  We saw him

     3 of the 8 times he played San Diego.  Always memorable.  At a rare Sea World parking

     lot show there were Native Americans, African Americans, red necks and cowboys from

     east county, rockers and us regular folks and everyone was standing and digging it.

160/8 The Roches - Keep On Doing - New Jersey 1982 - - 70 8 Third

     in a series plus one.  These are their finest four releases and, in

     fact, no real reason to hear the rest.  Classics of their kind.

     Beautiful music that they were never able to achieve again.

    And no one ever created music like they did, harmonies at the heart.

161/8 Angry Samoans - Inside My Brain - L.A. 1980? - - 73 1 Another

     amazing debut lp (12").  This 12" just floored us when we heard it

     in the early 80's.  We couldn't get enough of it.  It hasn't stood the

     test of time as much as I'd expected it would but every punk must

     hear this.

162/8 Teenage Jesus & the Jerks - Everything - NY 1990? 1979-1981? - 26 3

     Not a true lp but a comp of their 7"s and 12"s.  The finest

     punk guitar ever.  Still amazing and still puts some folks off, I'm sure.

*163/8 The Kinks - Greatest Hits -UK 1990? 1964-1968? - 81 5 Not a true lp.

     Their hits are incredible.  Regardless of which lp they come from

     and they don't have any hits after the 60's.  They've got like 18 pure

     classic 60's rock hits that will last forever.

164/8 Lush - Gala - UK 1990 - - 82 23 The perfect band name because it's

     how they sound.  The producer who made the dual female vocals

     dominant on this and their next lp was the real star of this group.

165/8 Lush- Spooky – UK 1992  Virtually every song sounds almost the

      same between these two albums but, when ya love that song, hay...

166/8 Dead Kennedys – Plastic Surgery Disasters 1982.  The combo of Jello

      Biafra on dynamic, dominating vocals and attitude and a tight band

      just couldn’t last the test of time.  The DK’s continue without him

      but I just can’t figure out how.  Like when Sammy Hagar took over

      for David Lee Roth.  I guess you can do it, but it’s never the same.

167/8 Dead Kennedys – Bedtime for Democracy 1986

168/8 Dead Kennedys – Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death 1987 More

      of the same.

169/8 Poison Idea - Record Collectors Are Pretentious A..s 12" - Portland

    1984 - - 87 6 Another amazing debut lp (12") This 12" had an impact

    on punk.  Part of the band's musical peak which they lost about

    three records later.  Is Pig Champion still alive?  It appears that his

    goal in life is to eat and drink and smoke and drug as much as he

    feels like, with no limit setting.  Whew.

170/8 Tom Waits - One From the Heart soundtrack - National City/L.A.

    1983 - - 88 22  Tom had moved on from his amazing 70's sound to

    his New Orleans/organy/almost story filled carnival of life period but

    Francis Ford Coppala asked him to do the soundtrack to his movie where

    Waits returns to his 70’s style.  Rent the film, this soundtrack is the

    loudest of, really, any movie.  It’s very much like a character in the movie.

    I want to not like Crystal Gale on the songs she’s on but somehow she’s

    works with a fine pure voice and the necessary female part of a full on

    man/woman theme romance movie.

171/8 Led Zepplin - Led Zepplin IV - UK 1971 - 66 210 18 I loved this lp

       in the 70's too.  Haven't heard it in over 20 years.  Should be higher

       than 220.

172/9 Nihilistics - NY - 1983 - - 91 5 Another amazing debut lp.  Nobody

     does it like these guys.  If you haven't heard this lp you must,

     unless yer not a punk then go away.  It's not just attitude, the

     music is right on target, I gotta break that thing out again.  I did and it

     doesn’t kill like it did for me in the mid 80’s but it’s still good quality punk.

173/9 Gato Babiere - Caliente 1983? The most romantic lp ever made.

     I am not kidding.  Try me.  Put it on and see what happens! 

     Powerful sax music that moves the opposite sex.  Just believe me.

     It's very simple.  I believe he’s Brazilian.  Nothing else he ever did

     was this package musically.  I’m not kidding.

174/9 Krunch - mys & kel 12" Sweden 1985 - - 135 7 Another amazing

      debut lp (12"). Always had a special affinity for this 12".  Can't

      describe how it's different but it is, sink yer teeth into it punk rock.

175/9 999 - High Energy Plan - UK 1980? - - 136 11 Man, these guys can

      write hits and that vocalist, I could listen to him all day.  Really, a

      pop band but too substantial to be New Wave, a late 70's UK

      original with memorable songs.

176/9 Basement 5 - 1965-1980 - UK 1980 - - 138 15 Another amazing debut

P      lp.  Nobody like them, very saddly, a super short lived band.  This

      is probably their only lp.  Not quite ska, almost pumped up,

      modernized reggae.  A wonderful sound that only they had and

      then they vanished.

*177/9 Bowwowwow - Greatest Hits - UK 1989 1980-1983 - 95 8 Not a true

    lp.  I just picked the greatest hits package cuz their first lp was on

    cassette and the following 12" and lp were also wonderful.  They

    were a hit making machine, but it all sounded very much like them,

    sweet vocals, that double drum sound is so great.  Fun, dancable,

    punk flavored.

178/10 Keith Jarrett - Koln Concerts - U.S. (2lp) 1975 - - 85 8 Don't buy

     anything else by him.  This is a live set of solo piano with just his

     unique occasional vocal sounds.  Great audio beauty to behold.

179/10 Graham Parker - Squeezing Out Sparks - U.S. 1979 - 335 107 10 He

P       never did anything this great before or since.  Perfect modern

       rock lp.  A rare perfect lp.  Oddly, nothing else he ever did, that

       I’ve heard, is even remotely as brilliant as this lp.  It’s hard to

       explain what this is but there’s catchy songs, almost pub rock.

180/10 Lama - JA MIKAAN EI MUUTTUNUT LP, all four 7"s - Finland

     1983 1981-1983? - 102 2 Another amazing debut lp.  My guess is few

     punx even know about these guys unless their reissues have given

     them the awareness in modern punk they deserve.  They just

     mastered that Finnish punk sound and it still rocks hard.  I remember

     hearing it in the early 80's and feeling it was a head above all but

     Kaaos while there were 5 or so other still amazing Finnish hc bands.

181/10 Misfits - Walk Among Us - U.S. 1982? - - 112 11 Another amazing

       debut lp.  The most sing along lp in punk.  No one's been able to

       do that since this lp.  Every songs a winner.

      

182/10 Rod Stewart - Sing It Again Rod - UK 1973? - - 103 1  I grew up

       around high school days or just after, on this lp.  I loved it then

       and I discover that I still love it though I am not very able to

       listen to the same studio hits of about anyone more than 100

       times in a life time, thus, I can't stand classic rock stations.  Still,

       this hits lp is really a true lp, for me,  it works as a real gathering

       of his finest.  There's a song on there that still punches my

       whallop,  Street Fightin' Man, the build up, the kick in, the musical

       movement.  Whew.  Love that dog.  About 5 years ago I realized I

       wanted to hear again some of the songs I loved as a teenager.  So

       I got some Rod Stewart from the late 60's, early 70's and with

       Jeff Beck (which plays like a classic Rod Stewart lp) and with the

       Faces.  Sweet.

183/10 Neil Young - Decade - Canada/S.F. 3xlp 1977 1968-1977 - - 149 8

P       Not a true lp, a greatest hits.  But one of the best greatest hits

       releases ever.  Every song is strong and a 3xlp is quite rare yet

       not overdone at all.  Probably makes a perfect 2xcd release.

       I’m sorta puzzled as to why I have this so low.  I get to call it

       the 10^th best lp which helps.

184/10 Flex Your Head - DC w/ Minor Threat, SOA, Youth Brigade (D.C.)

     + 1982? - - 59 3 Definitive U.S./D.C. comp lp.  Another stone classic

     punk comp.  This lp carried the message of D.C. hc to every corner

     of the country and probably the Western (punk) world.

185/10 Simon and Garfunkel – 5xCD box 1964-1971? or

 Simon and Garfunkel - Greatest Hits - U.S. 1972 - 293 224 20 Not a

       true lp, obviously a greatest hits which I prefer as I've heard most

       of their lps and their non hit songs are pretty unfulfilling while

       their hits are classics and some are down right emotionally

       satisfying.  The box set has their 6 or so albums.  It doesn’t

       have many of those unfulfilling songs that I thought they did.

       Obviously, this is a great group.  Some of their hits are just

       crazy great.  Their harmonizing is perfection and some of

       those hits just rule over the years.

*186/10 Lama - Stupido Twins - Finland 1994 1981? - 104 4 Not a true lp, a

       comp of 7"s.  Doin' us a favor and reissuing their hard to find 7"s

       on a cd.  Lovely hc, just lovely.

187/10 Savage Republic - Tragic Figures - L.A. 1983? - - 105 5 Another

       amazing debut lp.  No band like them and they were never as

       great again.  Banging drums/big cans/git assault.  It’s a total

       musical experience you cannot find in any other group.  Plus that

       cardboard vinyl/cd packaging Bruce Licher came up with really

       works visually, tactilly. 

188/10 Joan Armatrading - Hits 1980?-1990? U.K. She a classic singer songwriter

      African/UK with a voice that is all her own.  A handful of hits, all with

      an emotional punch.  There’s usually not more than 2 or 3 songs per

      album of her’s over the years that really are catchy and memorable.

      So, for her, it’s her greatest hits album.

189/10 any White Stripes album 1999 - 2010 Detroit What did they have?  Four

190/10   albums? 7. Most/all of them run together for me.  That guitar/vocal/

      simple drums as the bulk of their sound is, well, a touch odd but the

      voice, energy behind it, song writing, guitar mastery and, yes, his

      insistence on tubes/60’s equipment versus digital does make a nice difference.

      Some bass player accompanied them on one of their albums and posted it

      on the Internet but it came down and I never heard it.  I think I’d love to

      have all their albums with a bass player and my wife firmly believes the

      drummer is the worst drummer in music.  Meat Puppets had the same

      thing, a simple drummer with a very gifted guitarist/vocalist.  The White

      Stripes 1999; De Stijl 2000; White Blood Cells 2001; Elephant 2003; Get

      Behind Me Satan 2005; Icky Thump; Under Great White Northern Lights 2010.

      I love that latter video as well. They had the common manness to tour obscure

      towns in Canada who virtually never got a top band to tour in their city/town.

      However, they also had the hustpah and principal and nerve to play one of

      the towns for a free concert where they played one note and that what the

      entire show.  And another where bag pipers opened their set and joined them.

      I’ve decided the lps make one greatest hits and i love Under Great White.

191/10 Yeastie Girlz – 7” 1988 or 1999 S.F.  The only 7” on this list tho I should

      have a few more, Mau Mau’s (UK) first 3 7”s ; Black Flag ‘Nervous Breakdown’;

      Wretched/Indigesti split ep; Meat Pupptes ‘In a Car’; Discharge first 5 or so

      7”s well, there’s more, of course.  But this 7” record is the total output of this

      band aside from a cassette release.  Accapella riot grrl rap! From the San Francisco

      bay area.  First record I ever bought was the 7” by the Beatles, “I Hear It’s Your

      Birthday” which, if you think about it, is a total punk rock song.

192/10 City Rockers: A Tribute to the Clash 1999 U.S.  I can’t believe I have a tribute album

      on this list but it’s really well done.  There’s even one song that’s done better

      than the original Clash song, which, for a tribute album, is very very rare.  Course,

      I’d always considered it one of their very few weak songs so that wasn’t that hard to do. 

      Lively, honoring the group and goes from nearly identical covers to, in the main, some nicely

      individualized versions as well as a techno song and a sorta rap song that completely obliterate

      the original version of the song but do so well. w Dropkick Murphy’s; Ill Repute; Fang; The

      Mob and 14 more.  Possibly the best tribute album of all time and I like tribute albums

      cuz when I like a band I like their songs but over the decades I wanna hear more, hear other

      versions and the 3 choices are demos, live or covers.

      

193/10 Rise Above - 24 Black Flag songs to benefit the West Memphis Three with Henry Rollins’ band

      backing various singers including Keith Morris (the first BF singer who went on to sing for the

      Circle Jerks and now is in the Offs who are one of the rare 2010’s great HC bands), Iggy Pop,

      Xene Cervenka (from X), Mike Patton, Lemmy (from Motorhead), Henry for a song and,

      inexplicably, Ryan Adams (he does a good job).  Chuck D. intros the comp spectacularly with a

      Straight Outta Compton type vocal overdub intro.  They perform classic Blag Flag songs.

      I’d always hoped for something more from Black Flag somehow covering their early classics

      and this is the closest you get.  Very high quality release.

194/10 Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, 2008. with The Dead 60; We Are Scientists; Shout Out Louds and

      12 more.  When I went to see the movie at the theatre I had high expectations for the

      soundtrack given that it was part of the title.  I left feeling dissatisfied.  For some reason I       

      bought it, used, as almost always, on amazon, and have loved it for years now.  Great selection

      of modern music from the mid 2000’s.  Listening to it this evening and I realized the great

      positive emotion of the movie is reflected in the songs which, typically, have emotion in them.

195/10 Grosse Pointe Blank soundtrack put together by Joe Strummer, 1997.  With The Clash; The

      English Beat; The Specials; The Jam and 8 more.  So good they did a vol. 2 which is also

      quite good.  The film is about a high school reunion of those who graduated in the 80’s

      so all the music is time capsuled from the 80’s, beautifully.  You can feel Joe’s musical

      presence in the song selections.

196/10 A Punk Tribute to the Clash with vocalists from Chelsea; the Vibrators; the Boys; 999 and 9

      others backed by the same band.  Offers similar sounding to the originals and some innovative

      ones.  Refreshing.  Clearly, very respectful of the source material.

197/10 Funeral Oration – Discography 2xcd Holland.  This group has to be on this list.  Their

      first release, on cassette is their toughest.  Each album they did after that over

      the 80’s through 90’s got more, well, less harsh.  A great sound, a foursome.

      Great guys too.  Got to hang out with them for an afternoon one day in the middle

      of one of their tours while in Del Mar.  Not sure how to describe their sound

      but it’s this side of hardcore punk, a touch more melodic.

198/10 James White and the Blacks - Off White - NY 1979 - - 118 8  More

       saxabeautiful music from the guy who clearly belonged wearing a

       white tux jacket.  Classy bridge between big band, James Brown

       and wild punk passion with a clearly New York sound and attitude.

199/10 The Animals - Greatest Hits - UK 1984? 1964-1968? - 177 8 Not a

       true lp because on their regular lps their non hit songs all are

       terrible.  So, it's hits away and those hits are memorable.  Just

       was listening to this last night again.  I keep going back to it.  It’s

       clearly right out of the 60’s and there’s even one song with guitar that

       sounds like modern punk.  Story journeys and a real sense of the 60’s.

       Some songs that just seeped 60’s and still carries the banner.

200/10 Pet Shop Boys - the complete singles - UK

       1992? 1989-1992? - 179 10 Not a true lp but who would want any of

       lps which all have tons of useless songs.  No, this is the one to

       own.  It's like my secret pleasure.  Sometimes their hits just scratch

       a musical itch.  Don't know why.  I do know that all the dance

       bands similar to these guys are wretched.  But these hits really

       work.  In fact, this is so good I should rate it like 60/3.

201/11 Iggy Pop - New Values - U.S. 1979? - - 66 9  There's songs on here

     that still drive me crazy.  Lyrically, musically, vocally, it all comes

     together.  This and Soldier lp are his two finest lps as a solo artist

     if you ask me.

202/11 Big Brother and the Holding Company - Cheap Thrills - S.F.

       1968 - 338 192 5 Love that cartoon cover.  The best thing Janis

       Joplin ever did with her under appreciated backing band.  You

       learned how great they were together after she left them and was

       never as great again.  Their version of 'Summertime' is one of my

       favorite songs of all time, so passionate, so full of feeling, so Janis. 

       This should be higher than 202.  She was made to sing this song.

       I’ve heard numerous others cover it and her version is, by far, the

       best.

202/11  Zyklome A - Made in Belgium - Belgium 1983? - - 97 10 Another

      amazing debut (their only) lp.  A strong release, another punk

      band goes down in flames leaving us classic vinyl legacy.

*203/11 Fear - Live in Portland - L.A. 1986? - - 109 10 Their studio lps never

      captured their awesome live ability.  Live they kill and this is an

      excellent capture of a verbal assault, joke filled Lee Ving prime

      voice show/great punk songs like only Fear can do.  Thanks ya

      lugs.  Probably this should be 61/3.

204/11 XTC - Drums and Wires - UK 1979 - - 110 4 Some incredible songs

       on this.  Classic pop with substance.  Very enjoyable record.  This

       shoulda made 'em actually popular on a grand scale.   Oh well.  To

       me this was their musical peak.  ‘Making Plans for Nigel’ and a few

       other songs on it rule.  The whole album is delightful.

205/11 Wire - Pink Flag - UK 1977 - 410 111 5 Another amazing debut lp.

       Somehow this influenced the D.C. punk scene in a wonderful way.

       As an lp it's actually somewhat spotty but is their finest release

       and ‘12XU’ all by itself could carry the thing though it doesn't

       have to.  Thanks for the punk anthem fellas.  Every lp they did

       after this gets worse and worse and finally, worse.  However, I did

       see them at the Casbah about 10 years ago and they were good.

206/11 Modern Lovers - Modern Lovers - U.S. 1976 1972 381 123 12

       Another amazing debut lp.   Not a true lp, really just demos.

       Though the recording is not demo but studio release quality. 

       A rare perfect lp.  He never got this rockin' again.  Every song

       is perfect.  Oh, what he coulda done if he'd stayed rockin' like

       this.  Oh well, least we got this to dig on.  Jerry Harrison of the

       Talking Heads is on it and a guy from the Cars is.

207/12 Minutemen - 3 Way Tie for Last - San Pedro 1985 - - 113 20  My

       least favorite of their 5 classics but it's still better than most lps

       I've ever heard.  Really, more of the same classic Minutemen

       approach.

209/12 The Mamas and the Papas - Greatest Hits - U.S. 1998 1967-1969?

       423 115 8 Not a true lp.  The greatest hits format is best for them,

       I don't remember loving any of their lps, just richly enjoying

       particular awesome songs and what this lp shows is there's like

       18 of them.  Harmonies and song writing.  I probably erred by

       ranking this down here cuz there’s mighty and classic hits on it.

       Probably should be maybe 65/4.

210/12 Buffalo Springfield - Buffalo Springfield Again - L.A.  1967

       - 188 116 7 Not a true lp.  Only bad thing about this band was

       they didn't last long enough.  Somethin' about Stills when he's

       with Neil Young that brings out the best in him.

*211/12 Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers - Buzz Buzz Buzz An

       Introspective - U.S.  2000 1972-1976? - 117 5 Not a true lp.  Really

       just a way to collect his finest songs from spotty lps of the 70's

       because he's a song guy, not an lp guy, except for that first

       harder rockin' lp.

212/12 Mob 47 - Ultrahuset Massacre - Sweden (?) 1987? 1984 - 147 15

       Only picked this to get 'em on the list.  I think this is live.  But I

       don't think they ever did another lp and this might be a boot.

213/12 Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks - Original Recordings - S.F. 1971

     - - 68 10  Another wonderful debut lp.  They're strong live and this

     recording is a bit flat yet it has songs that are enchanting.  They

     have female backing vocals, violin and Dan's lilting voice and silly

     memorable lyrics.  Extremely difficult to define this music, happily.

     This is not 74.  It ended up 206 but I get the 12 and that’s really more

     accurate.

214/12 999 - The Singles Album - UK 1979? - - 120 8 Not a true lp.  This

       lp works so well cuz they can make the hits, like they were aiming

       to be UK chart toppers and succeeded.

215/12 The Beatles - A Hard Days Night - UK 1964 - 388 93 9 I tried to cull

     out weak  Beatles songs from their lps once.  Found like 3, all

     together.  How could one of the finest, if not the best, rock film be

     rated G?  Says a lot about what's happened in our culture since

     1965 or so.

216/12 Stepmothers - You Were Never My Age - L.A. 1981 - - 121  9

P      Another amazing debut (their only) lp. Steve Jones of the Sex

      Pistols, L.A. classic modern rock lp. Between this and the only 7"

      they did, they sound like a band who shoulda had several releases.

      But, no.  This could be a group even more obscure than others on

      this list. In other words, there’s even punx who aren’t aware of this record.

      Get it baby.  The best record any Sex Pistols guy was ever

      part of after the Sex Pistols. (That’s assuming I am not confusing the Steve

      Jones in this band with the Sex Pistols Steve Jones.  Humm??)  A rare perfect lp.

217/12 Quicksilver Messenger Service - Greatest Hits - S.F. 1974? - - 125 7

       Not a true lp.  I think a lotta rock fans don't know about this group.

       Their late 60's psychedelic jam rockin' is so classic.  Your hair will

       grow just listening to this stuff.  Just don't get anything after that

       stupid Dino Valenti became the singer in like 1971.  Yuk.

218/12 Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young - Deja Vu - L.A. 1970 - 148 127 5

       As great as their first lp was adding Neil Young and a coupla

       other guys took some of the sweet harmony focus away but

       when you add Neil, yer doin' everyone a favor.  This lp was in

       about every single teenager's house I ever went into for 10

       years from when it came out.  It was ubiquitous (everywhere).

219/12 Meat Puppets – I.   Rykodisc expanded version of their first LP 1980? The LP

       really only has like 3 gems.  The rest is that cowpunk psychedelic like

       they’re lost in the Arizona desert (they’re from Phoenix), tho less

       obnoxious than the later LPs.  However, this version contains

       one of the finest records ever recorded by man, their In A Car 7” +

       outtakes and demos related to that unbelievable record.  Now, if their

       LPs had gone on to be like this 7”, well, America would be well, in

       every respect.  Instead, we’ve been left to fester.  Listen to these

       tracks and be clear: blazing intense HC lives and it was made in

       1981 by a gifted group who then went on to get too much Phoenix sun.

220/12 Spermbirds - Something to Prove - Germany/U.S. singer 1986

       - - 129 5 Another amazing debut lp.   Only great band from

      Germany, tho their German vocal alternate band, Walter Elf

      always made some of the most greatly punk emotional songs ever,

      not wimpy, just stirred the emotions.   This lp has classic songs all

      through it.  Best a bunch a punx don't know about 'em either.  With

      each lp they released after this their quality went porportionatly

      down.

221/12 Lydia Lunch - Hysteria music comp - NY  (2lp) 1989 1979-1984?

       - 130 6 Not a true lp.  I list this just to include Teenage Jesus and

       the Jerks with 13:13 lp and Queen of Siam lp.  All great great

       music.  And nuttin' to do with her spoken word career.  For

       Lydia it's her early material, and that's it.  Queen of Siam is a

       swingin' all attitude lp that's up and down while 13:13 gets a

       groove like part driving rock, part just a vehicle for Lydia to

       sing great.  And TJ&tJ's is, well, definitive punk rock, stripped

       to its essence with a killa' git.

222/12 Rose Rose - Kill Your Brain - Japan 1987? - - 131 8 Another

       amazing debut lp.  You ever heard late 80's Japanese hc?  These

       guys, SOB, Outo, Lipcream, Systematic Death, Death Side,

       Deathless Muss, Brain Death (humm...there seems to be a

       pattern here?) made some pure Japan sounding hc, no metal

       flavor, which, of course, would ruin any good punk rock.  Bright,

       strong, crisp, well recorded.  Yum.  Each country seems, generally,

       to have their own punk sound from the 80's, Italy, Finland, Brasil,

       Japan,  Spain, UK, France, Germany, Australia and U.S.  Yup.

       Hard to describe, but it's true.  In the U.S. it's clear there's regional

       sounds, Boston, L.A., D.C., maybe N.Y. and Seattle.

223/12 Indigesti - Osservati Dall 'Inganno - Italy 1986 - - 133 8 Another

      amazing debut lp.  Another classic Italian band, their guitarist is

      classically trained and incredible.  Vocalist, Rudy, has a great hc

      sound.  No question when you hear them, it's pure Italian hc.

224/12 Robert Palmer – Best of Both Worlds: The Robert Palmer Anthology (1974-2001)

      His big hit is ‘Addicted to Love’.  He kept doing some songs with a rock feel

      but on virtually every album he did, about 10, he would have 2 to 4 love songs.

      Poor guy died about age 58 I think from cancer?  Great soft voice, understated.

225/12 Johnny Burnette Trio 1955? U.S One of my favorite albums.  I don’t know if this

      was their first record or a compilation of their singles but it’s reminiscent of

      Elvis Sun sessions.  Just the most innocent rock imaginable from real rockers.

      It’s from the birth period of rock, about 1955 and it sounds like it.  No sound

      effects, nothing bombastic, no show even.  Just simple, heart felt, only recently

      changed from sweet country western and a touch of blues, formed into the

      new music: rock ‘n roll.

226/12 X Unclogged acoustic 1991? L.A.  This could be my favorite album by X.  A sturdy

      L.A. rock band, a 3 piece really, with harmonizing male and female vocalists (John

      Doe and Excene) who have voices that were designed to intermingle.  And the

      acoustic versions of their songs just work.  Like mad.

227/12 harriet the spy soundtrack.  1996. Mostly original music by Jamshied Sharifi and ‘Get Up Offa

      That Thing’ by James Brown; Les Negresses Vertes and two others.  Very lively soundtrack.

      A world beat type sound.  Absolutely wonderful movie of a 12 or so year old girl who is

      a self styled detective in her little town.  If you want a cd to pep you up in rich music, this

      is it.  An absolutely delightful record when you wanna jump and skip and be joyous

      especially with a world beat.

228/12 Arto Lindsay - Prize - NY/Brasil 1999 - - 225 21That sweet Brasil

       sound, perfect low key music with a hint of his harsh guitar

       from the late 70's still showin' up here and there in his music.

229/12 Brian Eno - Here Come the Warm Jets - U.S. 1974 - 436 195 22

       Another amazing debut lp.  The best release he ever did with his

       second solo lp being about 1/2 as consistent as this one.  And his

       ambient lps being fairly useless.  I don't think this is a well known

       record.  You deserve to check it out, a clean sound with fun vocals

       and distinctive rock songs somewhat similar to Roxy Music.

230/12 James Taylor's - Greatest Hits - U.S. 1976 1969-1975 - 200 7 Not a

       true lp.  None of his lps really blaze all the way through.  He does

       make beautiful hits though I can't listen to his most famous two

       songs cuz after I hear any song over 500 times I can't stand

       hearing that same version over and over unless it's reworked

       live or covered by someone to put a new twist on it.  He has

       some non hit songs that are very poignent, one about spending

       a long long time in prison for committing violence.  And one

       where he tells a gal, 'You got the satisfy, I got the need.'  That

       says a lot about women and men if you think about it.  Only

       takes a second for a man to think about it.  May take decades

       for a gal to figure it out.

231/12 Arto Lindsay - Noon Chill - NY/Brasil 1996 - - 256 20 I really

       like his sound, what is that? bossa nova he does?  Relaxing

       and I dig that he's a former punk rock.

232/12 Snoopy's Christmas TV show soundtrack - U.S. 1973? - - 243 18

       I particularly like the toy piano and the special song where Linus

       quotes the Bible about the simple story of Christ's birth.  And

       the singing children.  In the end, over the decades, this ends up

       being my favorite Christmas album.  That cool jazz always wins out.

       Season after season I rediscover this splendid album.

233/12 Elvis Presley - The Sun Sessions - U.S. 1976 1954-1955 11 172 20

       Not a true lp but an archival release.  Rock at its birth, at it's

       innocent birth.  His only listenable lp and it's lovely.  He never

       sounded better, clean, simple back up music.  No pretense or

       big business involvement.  Everything after this begins to get

       commercialized.  Hear this and breath the fresh air of new rock.

234/12 A Taste of DNA - NY - 1981 - - 187 11 Another amazing debut

       (their only) lp (12").  That minimalist NY No Wave sound with

       Arto Lindsay's deliciously grating guitar.  Another trio that

       (punk) rocks.  Really, musically, I’d say it’s probably too intense

       for almost all people on earth.  Almost.

235/12 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang soundtrack - UK 1965? - - 216 25  We

       love singing these songs together (my family and I.) when my wife

       plays the songs on the piano.  Truely a good time.  It's still a fun

       movie.  Written by Ian Fleming.  Too bad he didn't do more like

       this.  Memorable family sing along songs.  Should be higher than 226.

236/12 Elvis Costello and the Attractions - Armed Forces  (w/ ep) - UK

       1979 - 482 163 23  Heck, it's worth including the ep, live at

       Hollywood High as they're both strong releases.  Basically, after

       this third lp release his music started to become less punkish and

       more, well, whatever it is he does this last 2 decades.

237/12 Neil Young – unplugged 1992.  He took unplugged literally and brought an air pump

      organ which he used to great musical effect getting it to work strictly with his

      pressing feet.  He also had a person sweep a box of sand with a broom as an

      instrument for a song!  Neil has, for decades, done live shows that open with

      an acoustic set and then end with a hard rockin’ set.  So he was made for this.

      My folks love acoustic Neil Young!

238/12 Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks – It Happened One Bite 1976? S.F.  Apparently, this was

     the soundtrack to a movie that was never made (or, at least, released).  It’s more

     great musical and lyrical fun from Dan Hicks and his two female singers and his

     bluegrass/violin/easy rockin’/impossible to accurately describe band along with his

     sweet and funny lyrics.

239/12 The Beatles - With the Beatles - UK 1963 - 420 156 9  There's

        not really any bad Beatles lp.  Another amazing debut lp.

       A few covers of earlier music.  Still, has the distinct Beatles sound.

240/12 The Beatles - Meet the Beatles - UK 1964 - 59 157 8 They

       consistently surprise me with their quality.  Their genius begins to

       become clearly evident.

241/12 X - Wild Gift - L.A. 1981 - 334 160 21 I'm always surprised at how

       early this lp came out as it always seemed like it came out in later

       years.  Another strong release by them.  They never were hardcore

       punk rock.  More of a rock band with punk sensibilities.  The harmony

       on many songs between Excene and John Doe is exquisite.

242/12 Neil Young - After the Gold Rush - Canada/S.F. 1970 - 71 201 12

       Another lp that was in everyone's house that I ever visited in

       the 70's.  Classic Neil.  My parents love his acoustic stuff!  He

       is one of the few artists besides Dylan and Santana who has

       kept making great music over 3 decades (with some fallow

       periods, of course).

243/13 Los Lobos – El Cancionero Mas Y Mas box set East L.A.  That being said, I like some of

     their albums and am very pleased that I saw them once live and wish I’d seen them live

     more frequently.  This box set collects, really, hits from their 10 or so albums and other

     tracks, b-sides and so forth and even a few songs from other musical projects from some

     of the band members.  Classic Chicano rock born in East L.A. and originally on L.A.’s finest

     punk rock label.

244/13 No Hope For the Kids  – 2000? Denmark.  They happened to tour California when I

     turned 50.  I got to hang with them and some of my friends at the friend’s rented

     home in Hillcrest for half a week, which is a rare opportunity for an international

     punk band to have that kind of time on their hands.  Took 4 of the 5 to their first

     professional baseball game (first baseball game), the Padres at Petco.  With my folks!

     I’ve only heard that one live show and their one album/cd.  Great simple energetic

     punk.  They do a Neil Young cover and it makes perfect musical sense!

245/13 the B-52's - the B-52's - Georgia 1979 - 155 149 9 Another amazing

       debut lp.  They never did anything as great as this again, just

       shadows of it.  Very dancable, perfect multiple vocals.  All

       energy and, again, strong song writing.

246/13 the B-52’s – Party Mix 1981.  I don’t often like remix extended songs as they’re often

      uber dance oriented and oddly done.  But this remix short lp rules enhancing their

      lovely fun songs.

247/13 SOB - Don't Be Swindle 12" - Japan 1987? - - 139 8 Another

      amazing debut lp.  This lp really needs to be heard, plus, it's part

      of those Japanese lps with brilliant cartoon cover art, typically

      of overexaggerated screaming faces type cartoon characters.

248/13 Systematic Death - Final Insider - Japan 1988? - - 140 9 Another

      amazing debut lp.  Really, just as classic as the other Japanese

      late 1980’s HC albums of its day.  If you love punk try these

      Japanese records like SOB, Death Sentence, Outo and several

      others.  A brilliant period of punk in Japan.  And some of the

      best album cover art work around too.

249/13 The Roches - We Three Kings.  1990  - - 141 30  They started by

       doing Christmas songs.   All their hamony power applied to

       reworked Christmas classics refreshingly reimagined.

250/13 Raw Power - Screams From the Gutter - Italy 1984 - - 142 20

      Recorded in a day on their first U.S. tour.  They'd played about

      16 of their 24 dates so they had the songs polished.  This lp put

      them on the punk map.  It could easily be called the most well

      known non UK/ non U.S. punk lp of all time.

251/13 Kansan Uutiset - Beautiful Dreams - Finland 1984? - - 144 18

       Another amazing debut (their only?) lp.  I think most world

       Punx are not particularly familiar with this great Finnish punk

       band.  No, it's not the Bastards or Riistetyt or Rattus or

       Terveet Kadet, but, really, I think this lp is stronger

       than any of the lps any of those very well known Finnish punk

       bands did, as good as those bands are.

252/13 Deadless Muse - Five Years Imprisonment - Japan 1989? - - 145 11

       Another amazing debut lp.  Classic Japanese hc sound.

253/13 Riistetyt - Valtion Vankina - Finland 1981? - - 146 7 Another

       amazing debut lp.  A fine lp.  High quality, pure punk rock.

       Very Finnish and that's a good thing.

254/13 The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Stages - (4 live shows) -

     Seattle/UK/U.S.  1989? 1966-1970 - 148 22 Not a true lp but an

     originally 4 tape release that then was a cd if I'm not mistaken.

     Really, any Jimi fan should have this but it was in pretty limited

     release.  Captures his live sound over the span of his career with

     high quality sound board recording.

255/13 Neil Young - Rust Never Sleeps Canada/S.F. 1979 - 350 150 11

       Probably the middle of his career, finding him right in stride

       with more well written songs and his signature sound.  Ok, ok,

       so every song sounds very similar to the other ones.  Still, I

       like that song.  His sameness sorta found him in a rut about

       the 90's.  He was still rockin' hard here, with substantive songs.

256/13 Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On - Detroit 1973 - 165 221 28 He took

       me outside the classic boundaries of Motown.  Seemed less slick,

       more emotionally real to me.  A precursor to the 'let's just sex' rap

       lyrics and a soundtrack to the 'why get married to have sex, we

       have the Pill, sex is not wrong, and we're losin' our religion, why

       not?'  Course, then we see why not: tons of kids growin' up

       without a dad.  That's why.  Very simple, very pathetic and it's

       a price to pay, much less getting one of the 16 sexually transmitted

       dieases out there.  Sex in marriage is what it's meant for baby.

       Should be higher than 231.

257/13 Joe Jackson - Look Sharp! - UK 1979 - - 248 10 Another amazing

       debut lp.  A rare perfect lp.  New Wave with class although it was

       not that silly big hair stuff.  Best album he ever did.  This is higher

       than 256.

258/14 Stevie Wonder - Music of My Mind - U.S. 1972 - 284 86 1 I hadn't

     heard this lp, his first solo effort as a man, in two decades.  It

    didn't sound as amazing to me recently but it's still a beautiful lp.

     Stevie plays all the instruments and it's focus of love and beauty.

    There’s about half the songs on this that are just stunning.

259/14 Iggy Pop - Soldier - U.S. 1980 - - 37 4  There's some songs on

     here that are ultra classics.   Iggy at his musical peak.

260/14 Blood, Sweat and Tears - Child Is Father to the Man - U.S. 1968

       - 264 114 1 Another amazing debut lp.  I only don't rank it higher

       cuz upon recent re-listening it didn't seem to blow me away like

       it did when I first heard it about 1970.  I used to always say it was

       my favorite lp but, well, punk spoiled that.  Too bad.  Though,

       maybe not.  Maybe it's just a touch too sappy.  For it's day, it

       ruled.  I love Al Kooper and BS&T.  Apart neither was worth

       much a'tall.

261/14 This is Boston Not L.A. - Boston w/ Gang Green, F.U.'s, The Freeze

     + 1982? - - 52 5  A stone classic.  Still has some of the best punk

     songs ever.  Really should be considered as a compaion to Unsafe

     at any Speed comp 7" with more of the same.  They did release a

     cd of the two together, making one outstanding hc American cd!

     This is not 58.  Upon re-listening it is not as across the board as strong

     as my ears from the early 80’s remembered.  These records are all

     about standing the test of time.